The Sky Pilot

Arthur Moore, a missionary preacher, attempts to fit into the cowboy community so he can set up a church in the local saloon. Gwen, daughter of the "Old Timer," is injured in a stampede and loses her ability to walk. Though rejected by the townsfolk, the preacher's wisdom and love are needed if the young girl is to be healed. Shot in 'Vidor Village', Vidor's ill-fated studio property in California's High Sierra.

John Bowers is the eponymous gent (a sort of travelling preacher) who rather naively alights at a small saloon "The Stopping Place" in the Canadian Rockies, intent on bringing God to this community. He hooks up with local "Hendricks" (David Butler) who helps him arrange his first sermon - so he can get a bit of a rise from the visitor. That all ends up in quite a fun exposition of fisticuffs before the "Pilot" is unceremoniously driven from town. He is followed by his erstwhile pal, though, and they reconcile - soon becoming as thick as thieves, and begin to work together on the ranch of "the Duke" (Donald MacDonald) where they both vie for the affections of "Gwen" (Colleen Moore). Things take a turn for the worst when she is crippled after a rodeo accident, and Bowers tries to help her to walk again. In itself, the story is nothing special - but the cinematography redeems it well, the snowscapes add an authentic chilliness to the proceedings, and the inter-titles have some humour to help us with some of the more colourful local vernacular. The actors are fine - Bowers is a good looking man with a certain charm, and Butler also plays well as his dashing cowpoke counterpart. Moore, less so I felt - her feisty girl routine was just a bit too wooden. Good ending scenes, though - maybe a sort of triumph of hope over expectation?