Salomy Jane - 1914 - 6/10
Madison Clay, daughter Salomy Jane, along with a pack of horses, travel from Kentucky to Hangtown, California.
1849, makes them original ‘49ers.
No gold in this, but the name Hangtown has an ominous ring to it.
Anyway, Salomy is easy on the eyes, and soon all the love-starved menfolk hover near her.
Meantime, what’s going on? Plenty, partner.
Stagecoach holdup, murder, a stranger bent on revenge, another man looking to finish a feud that began in Kentucky.
What else? Hangings, shootings, horse chases, a posse of vigilantes, sagebrush romance, and the most honorable soul reckons to be Gamblin’ Jack.
Simplistic stories, melodramatic acting, what the hey.
For an early feature, you get your dime’s worth, pilgrim. Lemme tell you.
To be honest, I have been on the lookout for this one for decades.
Primarily because it has Matt Snyder, as Salomy’s Pa.
Snyder was a few months shy of 80 when this was released, and he can still mount a horse and throw a mean right fist.
With due respect to Pop Taylor, Snyder was the earliest born, “steady” film actor.
Meaning, he has several credits, roles with lines, supporting roles, lead roles.
Snyder was born in 1835! The imagination goes wild.
Andrew Jackson was in the White House, William IV sat on the English throne, Ncholas I was Czar.
I had wanted to see this film, see Synder, an actual living link to that distant time.
Nor does the film disappoint. The print is in good shape, a few tints, with a fine piano score.
