Law of the Timber

Harry Lorimer is pleased when his H&L Lumber Company is awarded a huge defense contract, and he can put the local timber men back to work. In his hiring frenzy he takes on John Gordon, an Easterner who claims to be a hotshot lumberjack. Someone is sabotaging the operation and Lorimer dies fighting a fire set by arsonists. His daughter Perry is left to carry on the business, aided by Gordon who has proven his ability with both an ax and a rifle. Sharpshooting skills will be needed because the saboteurs are perfectly willing to murder anyone who stands in their way.

In 1942, the year Law of the Timber was released, Marjorie Reynolds appeared as the lady to whom Bing Crosby sings "White Christmas" in the immortal classic Holiday Inn. Her long career featured memorable roles in Meet Me On Broadway (1946), Heaven Only Knows (1947) and Fritz Lang's Ministry of Fear (1944) before finding fame on television as William Bendix's wife in "The Life Of Riley" (1953). Monte Blue rose to prominence in the role of Danton in D.W. Griffith's 1921 epic, Orphans Of The Storm. The rugged silent star played opposite Gloria Swanson, Norma Shearer and Clara Bow before the sound era saw him transition to supporting roles.

PRC Pictures' final 1941 release, LAW OF THE TIMBER was based on a story by North Woods specialist James Oliver Curwood. Given that leading man Hal Brazeal has about as much charisma as a spoonful of potato salad, leading lady Marjorie Reynolds offers the most interesting characterization in this tale of the logging business. When her father is killed, Reynolds takes over his logging concern, working day and night to fill a government order on time. Someone is sabotaging her efforts, as witness the scene in which a train is dynamited (the special effects are a bit shaky; this action highlight looks more like a Lionel commercial). Veterans Monte Blue and J. Farrel McDonald also appear in this so-so programmer.