MartinHafer This John Wayne film is rarely seen and I was surprised to see it being aired on a local TV channel. Since I've seen just above all of Wayne's AVAILABLE films, I was excited to see this film. While it wasn't bad, it also was underwhelming since, at heart, it was just a cheap B- movie made just before John Wayne became a super-star.When the film begins, a man is murdered. However, it's all quickly chalked up to suicide and it's all swept under the rug. What they didn't anticipate was that the dead guy had a bull-headed friend, Lynn (John Wayne) and he was intent on getting to the bottom of things. At first, the local political boss is able to make Wayne believe that there was no conspiracy and the man died of natural causes. Besides, the man's daughter, Sabra (Frances Dee) was cute and Lynn was obviously very taken with her. But, over time, Lynn starts to realize that there is more than meets the eye to all this...the local 'Progressive Party' is anything but! What's next? See the film.This film is pretty much like most Bs--hastily written, full of plot problems and yet is entertaining. It's also featuring John Wayne as a caveman, of sorts--the sort of role folks liked back in the 40s but which will annoy many viewers with today's sensibilities. A film mostly for big-time Wayne fans and that's all--especially with the really, really dumb ending where the ultra-bad guy suddenly changes his spots!

Michael O'Keefe In 1941 Republic Pictures goes out on a limb to broaden the range of its biggest commodity, John Wayne. A weak experienced lawyer, Lynn Hollister(Wayne) will attempt to take on big-city crime and corruption. Tom Cameron(Edward Ellis) is a highly successful political figure, but is suspected of being a heavy handed crook. Of course, seemingly above any overt suspicion, Hollister's job is not going to be an easy one. Making things a bit harder, Lynn finds himself with a strong attraction to Cameron's lovely daughter, Sabra(Frances Dee).Audiences weren't immediately thrilled, but the saving grace is the Duke does get the chance to put his dukes up! A strong, well rounded cast also features: Wallace Ford, Harold Huber, Edwin Stanley and Ward Bond.

JohnHowardReid This movie starts off quite excitingly with arresting camera movement, atmospheric photography, intriguing situations, odd characters and elliptical dialogue. Mind you, the dialogue doesn't always work. The attempts to be flippant and yet at the same time stress an underlying menace and tension, don't always work, but it's a game attempt to do something a bit out of the ordinary. One of the chief problems lies in the acting: Edward Ellis and Harold Huber are magnificent but the stooges provided for them cannot come up to their level. This is particularly true of Joseph Crehan who is most unconvincing as a corrupt newspaper editor. The way Crehan plays him makes you wonder how an idiot like that could land a job running a hot dog stall, let alone a newspaper. Due to the dictates of budget and speed, director John H. Auer is forced to work with second-rate character actors unwilling or unable to bring out the depths in their lines. Admittedly, nothing could rescue the later stages of the movie when the script delivers a disappointing climax so that Wayne can get the girl. Still, Huber's death is arrestingly staged. Wayne plays with a light romantic charm that is reasonably appealing, despite the fact that it is often at odds with the atmosphere. If Wayne meant it as a contrast, his efforts don't quite come off. However, Miss Dee makes a fetching heroine, though Ward Bond seems a little out of character as the lunatic brother. All told, some good direction by Auer helps this often otherwise routine town-in-the-grip-of-the-crime-syndicate melodrama. U.K. release title: Citadel of Crime. Also known by its USA reissue title: Wheel of Fortune.

mawebring John Wayne has the ability to shine through even the poorest of scripts. Its an interesting story where the Duke has to deal with his morals and conscience when moving to a corrupt city and falls in love with a dirty politicians daughter.Francis Dee and Wayne have good on screen chemistry but this can be seen as the strength of Waynes acting rather Dees performance.The show has the classic 40s slapstick comic relief. If you want to sit with some Wayne nostalgia then you will enjoy this movie. But if your looking for an exciting story with a well written script and good acting, then don't rush to this movie. It not a classic of the 40s, but its a classic example of 40s movies :-)