Due to the presence of legendary Louise Brooks, even cineastes know about Empty Saddles, an otherwise murky experiment that doesn't quite come off. Even for the non-initiated, however, Miss Brooks proves something of a letdown in both looks and ability. In fact, supporting actresses Claire Rochelle and Gertrude Astor, the latter a fellow survivor of the silent screen, seem much livelier and add more fun the proceedings. Buck Jones often attempted something different. More often than not he succeeded -- Jones was the most adult in attitude of all the classic B-Western heroes -- but Empty Saddles remains a gutsy but ultimately disappointing mix of gothic melodrama and B-Western shenanigans, with a dash of folksy humor thrown in for good measure.
by Hans J. Wollstein
review
