Richard Barthelmess (Rudolph Valentino almost got the part) plays Alvarez, a local "Robin Hood" type who's wanted by the law. Ralph Graves plays a dude from Virginia seeking his fortune. They be come unlikely allies when a local saloon gal Rosy Nell (Eugenie Besserer) is robbed of her gold by a characters named Spasm Sal. The gold has been saved so that she can meet her daughter (Carol Dempster) who has been raised in a boarding school in Boston. Just as the daughter arrives Rosy Nell catches Spasm Sal stealing her gold. The woman dies.

The owner of the saloon Bagley (Walter Long) immediately lusts for Dempster as she gets off the stage. As a favor he allows Rosy Nell to have a few days before her hanging. Of course he also has gotten hold of the gold.

Into the mix is a little Mexican spitfire type (Clarine Seymour, looking a lot like Clara Bow) who loves Alvarez. They end up hiding in a cabin when Bagley and his men attack. It seems Alvarez has gotten the gold back. In a wild shootout, Graves and Barthelmess (rivals for Dempster) team up against Bagley and his men.

I suppose the basic story could have been placed anywhere, but the old west theme gives Griffith and cameraman Billy Bitzer some great locales for scenic shooting. Pacing and editing is, as always, top notch.

Barthelmess (almost unrecognizable) and Graves are very good as the male leads. Graves is only 19 here, having broken into films the year before. This was his first big role. Long and Seymour (who would die in 1920) are good with their stereotypical roles. Dempster seems kind of gangly here but is OK with the "heroine" role.

But taking the acting honors is Besserer. Best remembered as Al Jolson's mother in THE JAZZ SINGER she is terrific as the strutting saloon queen (and unrecognizable) and effective as the loving mother.

The adventure genre features exciting journeys, quests, or expeditions undertaken by characters who often face challenges, obstacles, and risks in pursuit of a goal. Adventures can take place in a wide range of settings, from exotic and fantastical locations to historical or even everyday environments.

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The romance genre features the theme of romantic relationships and emotional connections between characters. These stories focus on the development of love, desire, and intimacy between protagonists, often exploring the challenges, conflicts, and triumphs that arise in their relationships.

Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)

The Western genre features stories set primarily in the 19th-century American Old West and often depict the rugged frontier life, exploring themes of individualism, justice, morality, and the clash between civilization and the untamed wilderness. The genre has its roots in the historical context of westward expansion and the challenges faced by pioneers, settlers, outlaws, and lawmen.

John Wayne and Harry Carey Jr. in The Searchers (1956)

A romantic bandit named Alvarez, wanted for raids on the mining camps of the California gold rush in 1849, is reformed by the love of a good woman.

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