CheerupSilver
Very Cool!!!
WasAnnon
Slow pace in the most part of the movie.
Vashirdfel
Simply A Masterpiece
Fatma Suarez
The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful
Wizard-8
Though the title of this B movie western suggests that the horse in question will be up front and center, that is not actually the case - after the opening ten or so minutes, the horse is almost completely missing for the remainder of the movie! But that fact is not why "Wildfire" is a big disappointment in the end. Lead actor Bob Steele has a character that's somewhat thin - his character isn't given a terrible amount of introduction and detail. But the main problem with the movie is that it is really slow and dull. The movie really needed more of a swift pace and more action. The action that is in the movie isn't that exciting, though I will admit that it was nice to see fist fights where the punches actually sounded realistic for a change. Even if you've enjoyed other '40s B movie westerns in the past, chances are that you'll find "Wildfire" below par.
classicsoncall
Wouldn't you know it - the first time I get to see Bob Steele in a color Western, he's playing second fiddle to a horse! Actually this one wasn't too bad, as horse trader Happy Haye (Steele) and sidekick Alkali Jones (Sterling Holloway) arrive on the scene to break up a gang of horse thieves and swindlers led by villain Pete Fanning (John Miljan). Along the way they manage to get an assist from cowboy crooner Eddie Dean who portrays Sheriff Johnny Deal. The gimmick here is having the horse of the title framed for rustling, a convenient way for Fanning and his bunch to misdirect the sheriff and the local ranchers into thinking Wildfire is responsible for horses gone missing from nearby ranches. The premise is kind of thin but I've seen it used before. Speaking of gimmicks, Holloway's character also has one. He throws a clichéd phrase around every ten minutes or so, along the lines of "Let's not start anything we can't finish, shall we"? There's also an attractive female lead portrayed by Virginia Maples in the story, and starting out it looks like she has eyes for Bob Steele's character, but in a mid-picture course correction casts her lot with colorful singer Eddie Dean. Dean serenades Miss Judy Gordon at one point, and in an uncharacteristic move I haven't seen before, actually holds hands with the leading lady. Smart move, because by the end of the picture, not only does the Sheriff get the girl, but she's wearing a wedding dress to boot!
bkoganbing
Bob Steele and Eddie Dean teamed on this B western done in color, but the title role of Wildfire was played by a horse. A most remarkable wild stallion who is being blamed for the loss of stock by several ranchers.Steele and sidekick Sterling Holloway are horse traders and Dean is the local sheriff. After Holloway is shot by the bad guys, Steele and Dean join forces to apprehend the bad guys and clear the good name of Wildfire.This is a nice independent production from Screen Gems Features which I believe later merged into Columbia Pictures. Dean who was a singing cowboy gets to warble a couple of nice sagebrush ballads. The color utilized was something not often seen in B pictures from poverty row studios.Fans of the B western should like this one.
ca-corbett
This 1945 Cinecolor B-western favorite features the great Bob Steele in a tale of wrangling, rustling & revenge . A magnificent but untamed horse named Wildfire is wrongfully blamed for rustling and horse-wrangling!This was a rare color film for Bob Steele, with a unique twist on the standard sagebrush movie plot. Steele is very good here in the action scenes and was one of the better Cowboy heroes of the day. It was fun to see the singing cowboy Eddie Dean in the co-starring role as the local Sheriff !Many of the films from this era are indistinguishable from each other, but the plot, performances and Cinecolor presentation make this a must-see for the Western fan. A notch above the average oater !
