Like the so-called psychological Westerns of post-World War II, Powdersmoke Range is mostly talk. And, truth be told, not all the talk is delivered with assurance by a cast of mainly silent screen veterans still struggling with dialogue. The "Barnum & Bailey of Westerns" must have been quite a puzzle to the average fan of 1935. Here are 13 veteran action stars yet the "action," what there is of it, is mostly confined to interiors. Although his delivery sometimes leaves a bit to be desired, Harry Carey remains an authoritative center, however, and Tom Tyler visibly enjoys his change-of-pace role as the hired gunslinger. Hoot Gibson, Guinn "Big Boy" Williams, and Bob Steele perform as you would expect, but Sam Hardy's scenery chewing is worthy of a Wallace Beery, or at least brother Noah. Powdersmoke Range is, of course, interesting as a historical document, but when all is said and done, Republic Pictures did rather better with William Colt MacDonald's pulp fiction characters.