Pun Salad

A 1950 John Ford western (missing John Wayne); the Netflix algorithm thought I'd like it more than I did.

Ben Johnson and Harry Carey Jr. play Travis and Sandy, respectively, who are trying to eke out a semi-honest living as horse traders in the Frontier West. By coincidence, they meet up with a group of Mormons, en route in covered wagons to lush valley land they want to farm. Travis and Sandy get hired to guide the wagons through perils both natural (deserts, rivers, mountains) and anthropogenetic (Indians, a murderous gang of outlaws, a stranded performing troupe selling quack medicine). Interactions between all these colorful characters are often played for laughs, occasionally successfully. The soundtrack has a number of songs performed by the Sons of the Pioneers, but nothing memorable.

Trivia: John Ford recycled a number of actors from The Grapes of Wrath here: Both Pa Joad and Ma Joad are in this, playing older Mormons on the trek. And Ward Bond, who played a cop in The Grapes of Wrath is one of the Mormon elders.

Also, James Arness plays one of the gang, a speechless goon. Not at all what you expect from Marshall Dillon.