Straight Shooting (1917)

As homesteaders move West to settle, a cattleman (Duke R. Lee) hires a notorious gunslinger (Harry Carey) to help him drive the settlers out of the territory. But as he becomes involved with a homesteader (George Burrell) and his pretty daughter (Molly Malone), the gunfighter begins to question his choices. Directed by John Ford (credited as Jack Ford) in his feature film debut. It was originally intended as a two reeler but Ford extended it into a feature length film. Its cattlemen vs. homesteaders plot may be standard western stuff but it's an effective western nevertheless. The line between "good" men and "bad" men is blurred as it's the "bad" guys who help protect the settlers from the tyranny of the cattlemen and although Carey's gunslinger finds redemption, the other bad guys remain bad guys. The transfer I saw had a very effective piano and guitar underscore by Michael Gatt. With Hoot Gibson and Vester Pegg.