i haven not any idea how commentator could regard this a a decent b western . or how one commentator say the plot be more cohesive than most . nothing could be far from the truth . this movie be one huge non sequitur . it be an affront to the noble b western film of the 30 . i have see many of wayne early lone star and republic western and and this one be easily the bad . the bad guy be know a the shadow for cry out loud . initially and the shadow scheme be hold up open side stage coach . simultaneously and his gang rustle all of the cattle in the territory . then they decide to move on to bank robbery . to do this and they need to shoot up the town with a machine gun no explanation of why that necessary or how he get that neato little toy . no single scheme be reveal in enough detail to suggest a plot here . the shadow be obviously just a generally bad guy with all kind of generally evil scheme . he impart his instruction to his gang through a fake wall safe . ( knock knock and who there . ) he be apparently clairvoyant and because whenever his henchman need to talk to him and they knock on the wall and the safe open and presto he there . ( i can just imagine that he have meet them face to face and say and i have some secret and nefarious instruction to give you about our next evil deed meet me at the wall safe and i will give em to you . ) just why the shadow require the safe to communicate with his army of outlaw be and like most of the element of this mess and never explain . he have a nifty tunnel to the ol hollow stump across the street from which vantage point and various of his baddie perform assassination . he also have a hidden panel not in his secret lair behind the fake safe and but out in the main room . when not behind the safe and he hang out on his cow less ranch and masquerade a rancher matlock . we learn that he have murder the true owner of the ranch two brother and assume the identity of one . the daughter of the dead brother have recently arrive from 1930 nyc ( judging by her wardrobe ) and and she apparently never meet her real uncle and because he dupe her and too . if you think that bad guy always wear black hat and good guy white hat and you need to see this movie . here and the good guy all ditch their hat in favor of white head band that make them look like they have all suffer head wound before any shot have be fire . it like a game of pick up basketball only wayne have them tie bandana round their head instead of just take off their shirt . perhaps the weird of all be the end . immediately after subdue the shadow and his gang and we jump far enough into the future to see wayne and his wife ( the erst while niece ) on the front porch of their home . ( never mind that there have be scant romance . ) there and yak be play with wayne 3 4 year old son and dress up in injun garb . ( hiyoo and skookum fun . ) no thanks to this nonsense and wayne go on to become a screen legend . only a super star ( packer or not . ) could surmount this entry in a film resume . long live the duke .