classicsoncall If only the Hoppy line in my summary statement applied to our border patrol guys today. Times sure change don't they? Today they have to process the paper work.Well this time out, Hoppy and his sidekicks California (Andy Clyde) and Johnny (Jay Kirby) are Texas Rangers investigating the disappearance of laborers from south of the border. They have the unique distinction of getting arrested twice in the same picture, something I don't think I've ever seen before. The thought just came to me that it was too bad that Hoppy wasn't a singing cowboy like his contemporaries Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. When they wound up in jail they would take advantage of the situation by singing a song. Heck, even Ricky Nelson did it in "Rio Bravo".For old time Western movie fans, this one's a treasure trove for familiar faces who went on to bigger and better things. Robert Mitchum was still going by 'Bob' when this picture was made, and future Cisco Kid Duncan Renaldo is on hand as a Mexican Commandante. But the best is George Reeves in the role of a Mexican laborer in love with the film's heroine Senorita Inez La Barca (Claudia Drake). He's not on screen very much, and forgive me for saying so because I like the guy, but every time he's on it's hilarious. His Spanish accent is tortured and the pencil thin mustache is killer. You really have to see him to appreciate it.Say, check out that scene in the early going when Hoppy lassos an outlaw's feet some twenty feet above him on a giant boulder. Anyone think that's actually possible? If so, you'll really love the scene when the senorita smuggles a gun into jail for the boys, it's hidden in a pot of beans with bullets concealed in the tacos. Too bad about Mitchum though, Hoppy drilled him in the final shootout. We never find out what he thought about being called a two-bit gunman.

dougdoepke More plot-heavy than most. The trio are Texas Rangers trying to bust up a silver mine operation that's luring Mexican illegals (sound familiar?) across the border. On the way, they have to get past a cantankerous Mexican senorita (Drake) and a petty tyrant—hanging judge (Simpson). Some good scenery, especially the roaring Kern River, long a favorite of these oaters. Clever action climax does a neat twist on the old circle-the-wagons maneuver. I also like the charming dinner scene with the Commandant (Renaldo) that's well scripted and nicely played.There's also a couple of interesting lesser-knowns to add to the stars-of-the-future list (Mitchum, Reeves, Renaldo). Claudia Drake managed a shot at immortality by landing a key role in the noir cult classic Detour (1945). Here, she gives a spirited performance as the willful senorita that really over-shadows everyone else. However, perhaps most notable and surprising is the screenplay. It's credited to Michael Wilson who later penned such A-list classics as A Place in the Sun (1951), Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), and Lawrence of Arabia (1962), among others. A victim of the early-50's blacklist, several of these were written undercover, but have since been restored to his credit list. Here, the plot deals with such potential political themes as exploited workers, a company town, and a rich man making up his own laws. So, perhaps Wilson's participation is not so surprising after all.

zeppo-2 A number of Hoppy films revolve around a mining background, they sure wanted to get their money's worth out of that particular mine setting! This time it's a crook who is using forced labour to run his mine.Hoppy tracks missing Mexican labourers to both the mine and town that is ruled by the elaborately named villain, Orestes Krebs.Framed by Krebs as both judge, jury and executioner, Hoppy, California and Johnny are sentenced to hang. Initially suspected to be outlaws by the leading lady, Claudia Drake as Inez, (a common occurrence it seems for Hoppy and his companions), she does however see the light and helps the friends to clean up the whole crooked town.A fairly lightweight entry in the series, with enough action and story to keep things bubbling to the end. Krebs makes a suitable evil schemer, who doesn't know when he's beaten and Hoppy gets plenty of opportunity to use his patented steely gaze at the proceedings.

wrbtu Hoppy, California, & Johnny are all Texas Rangers (I guess they had very loose hiring criteria if California got in!). Hoppy's dressed in all black throughout the film (this is important to those of us who know that his black outfit signifies "he means business" & his rancher's & other outfits signify "he's only fooling around & trying to act like someone other than "Hoppy"). The setting is Silver Bullet, Texas, & no, The Lone Ranger is not in this movie, although practically everyone else is! George Reeves (Superman) is here; he plays a Mexican & is on screen for only a few moments. Duncan Renaldo (The Cisco Kid) is here, & has a nice role as a Mexican police commandant. Robert Mitchum plays his usual (for his early days in the westerns) baddie. Claudia Drake actually has a more significant role in the film than anyone other than Hoppy himself. There's good action (4 gunfights), good humorous situations, & overall it's quite nicely done, with good production values. I rate it 8/10.