Search - Johnny Reno on DVD

Interesting A.C. Lyles Western with veteran cast

C. Roberts | Halifax, Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 02/11/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Dana Andrews is U.S. Marshal Johnny Reno in this 1960's A.C. Lyles Western. He rides into Stone Junction with his prisoner Joe Connors (Tom Drake) much to the resentment of some of the local townspeople who attempt to break into the jail to lynch Connors. With the help of Sheriff Hodges (Lon Chaney Jr.) and old girl friend Nona Williams (Jane Russell) Reno holds them off and faces the angry mob to protect his prisoner. Reno can't understand why the townspeople should want to kill Connors but then he discovers that the town has a guilty secret and they want to silence Connors who they think might reveal this.Some favourite lines from the film:John Agar (to Jane Russell): "He used to be one of the top gunfighters". Russell: "He used to be a lot of things!".Dana Andrews (to Lyle Bettger): "I'm particular who I drink with".Tom Drake (to Andrews): "You can't fight a whole town single handed Reno".A.C. Lyles produced many second feature Westerns at Paramount during the 1960's and "Johnny Reno" was just one of them. However, they were all worth seeing mainly due to the fine actors that A.C. always used in his films (even in the smallest roles). Take a look at the credits for "Johnny Reno" for example:- Dana Andrews, Jane Russell, Lon Chaney Jr, Tom Drake, Lyle Bettger, John Agar, Richard Arlen, Robert Lowery, and (in an uncredited role) De Forrest Kelley. Quite an impressive cast for a second feature Western I would say. Apart from producing the film A.C. also had a hand in the story. Now in his 80's, A.C. Lyles still has an office on the Paramount lot which he visits most days. A.C. can often be seen on TV currently being interviewed for the excellent "Biography" series with his recollections of the "Golden Years of Hollywood" and the stars he knew personally from that era. One of A.C.'s closest friends was James Cagney who only directed one film in his entire career and that was "Short Cut to Hell" (1957) which he did purely as a favour for A.C. Lyles to get him started as a producer. (The film was an efficient remake of the Alan Ladd classic "This Gun For Hire"). Cagney also did the narration for another A.C. Lyles production "Arizona Bushwhackers" - again as a favour for A.C. "Johnny Reno" was directed by R.G. Springsteen who specialised in making competent low budget Westerns. He directed several other A.C. Lyles films including "Hostile Guns", "Black Spurs", "Waco", "Red Tomahawk" etc and also directed many TV series Westerns such as "Bonanza", "Wagon Train" and "Gunsmoke". If you are a Western fan take a look at "Johnny Reno" and some of the other A.C. Lyles movies as they might be of interest."

''The Hard-Fisted Texan With The Easy-Loving Way!

phillindholm | California | 12/17/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Johnny Reno" is one of the thirteen low-budget westerns produced by A.C. Lyles in the sixties. It stars Dana Andrews, Jane Russell, Lon Chaney, Richard Arlen, Lyle Bettger and Tom Drake. The premise is a simple one. Sheriff Andrews is heading to a small town in order to see his one-time sweetheart (Russell). On the way, he is set upon by two brothers who think he is after them. Forced to shoot one, he captures the other (Drake) and brings him into town. His prisoner insists he is innocent of the crime the whole town wants him hanged for, and after hearing his story, will Andrews believe him? The film is an enjoyable time waster, mostly for the appearances of the veteran stars, but the story is also fairly suspenseful. Previously available only on a full screen videocassette, "Johnny Reno" has been released on DVD in a well-preserved widescreen edition. Hopefully, the rest in the series will follow. [phillindholm]"

Great ole' Western actioner

B. Cathey | Wendell, NC United States | 05/25/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's good to "Johnny Reno" on DVD. This film, made in the mid-1960s, when the traditional Western genre was undergoing radical (and in some cases, not too favorable) change, "Johnny Reno" is an entertaining--at times a bit nostalgic---throwback to an earlier time when Westerns dominated at box offices and every kid wanted to grow up like Randy Scott and Wild Bill Elliott. Look for numerous familiar faces---A. C. Lyles and R.G. Springsteen peopled this film, and the other 11 or 12 made by them during the same period, with familiar Western faces and characters. It's all very enjoyable, and well worth the small investment. Go for it, and sit back and enjoy."

Worth a matinée...

Roberto Frangie | Leon, Gto. Mexico | 02/03/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Lyle Bettger is one of those stalwarts whose names probably mean nothing to most average filmgoers but who enjoy instant recognition on the screen...

Bettger was far better knows as a blond, blue-eyed villain given to exuding pathological hated... His good looks worked for him in every determined effort, even as a menacing villain with a snickering charm...

Dana Andrews plays Marshal Johnny Reno, who used to be one of the top gunfighters... He just arrived with a prisoner called Joe Conners (Tom Drake) considered by the citizens of Stone Junction as a little Indian-killer...

Of course the Mayor of the town Jess Yates (Buttger) assures the marshal that Conners will be given a fair trial and asked him to get out of the town fast...

In spite of hearing that the lynch mob will be out there and one way or another they'll get Conners, the tough marshal tells everybody that his prisoner is in his protective custody and anybody who wants to get to him is going to have to step over his dead body...

That day, the way it happened--before the Connors mess--Reno was riding to see somebody he once knew, Nona Williams (Jane Russell). He knew the woman years before when he was the righteous lawman in the town where she lived... He has been wearing a badge ever since... Nona made a mistake and he couldn't forgive her...

Lon Chaney Jr shows up as a sheriff who forgets that his job is law and order...

Filmed in Technicolor and Panavision, "Johnny Reno" remains a tedious little Western worth a matinée..."