They killed a child. Those fekking schmucks actually killed a child.
This is a dark chapter in the Duke's tenure in the Three Mesquiteers film series. The American Movie Channel tell us this Hollywood movie has the dubious distinction of being the first where a child is murdered by the villain. At the risk of being sexist, the scriptwriters for this film oddly enough were both women.
The first thing that happens is the Mequiteers ignore a sign that says Keep Out, and are promptly held up at gunpoint by two children. These youngins' have been chasing everyone off their daddy's gold claim, even the horse thieves trying to take his land. Well, the Mesquiteers' old friend Carson is giving them a half-share in his claim; unfortunately he hasn't dared leave home to record it, on account of the crooked Mayor of Santa Fe Junction.
It goes from bad to worse. The people are divided, the Mayor owns the sheriff and his deputies. Only Judge Hixon has any sort of conscience, and he's sorely lacking in backbone. Carson is murdered on his way to the capital to file a petition with the governor, along with his little daughter Julie. When the judge protested that there's a little girl with him, right before the hired thugs rode off, the Mayor snorted, "So what?"
Naturally John Wayne's character Stoney is falsely accused of the deed. Of course the Mayor's thugs encourage a thick-headed mob to take the law into their own hands. This wasn't the first time the Duke's faced an angry feeble-minded lynch mob, and this one may be the worst of the bunch, taking in not only the 'decent menfolk' of the town but even the town tramps and the old hags. They come damn close to burning Stoney and his girlfriend Nancy alive in the jail. That is one of the most intense cliffhanger scenes I've come across in a Republic picture, especially since this wasn't technically a cliffhanger serial.
In the end it ends exactly as Adam West would put it: "You poor fools, you can't escape justice," Judge Hixon finally develops enough spine to send a telegraph calling in the US Marshals. The Mayor is exposed and brought down. By and large a very enjoyable outing, although I must caution you, that poor child's cries just before her daddy's wagon is overturned will break your heart.
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