Another
George Sherman time-spender, this Western is a curious mix of old & new
throwing in cowboys, automobiles and trucks loaded with rustled cattle. Early
on is a funny scene where the cattleman’s association can’t figure where all
their cows are going, and al their 10-gallon hats are piled on the table in
front of them. Naturally the Three Mesquiteers are the first people the
governor sends for to help.
Which is not
to say they’re the first to the scene. Stony switches places with an old
friend, Tex (natch) to infiltrate the rustling gang. Tex has been sent by the
Meat Packers association to investigate, and he’s quite a singer as well. It’s
actually a clever scheme where they slaughter the cattle on the spot and then
bury the hides. It’s a bit of a dark subject, which would probably receive a
gorier interpretation if it were made nowadays.
This
is my fourth Mesquiteers oater, and the Duke’s last string of B-movies before
his fortunes changed forever with Stagecoach.
I hadn’t noticed before that the surnames of two Mesquiteers are Smith &
Johnson. That subject came up while all three heroes show up for dinner at the
same time so they can all hit on the same girl, Jane Mason; she is played by
Republic serial star Lorna Gray.
Stony
(ie Duke) for his part is hit on by Mrs. Maxwell, a fat lady rustler played by
vaudeville star Polly Moran. All hi efforts to evade her are for naught. Duke
proves to be very talented at pretending he can’t
ride a horse.
“Think them trucks are involved in the
rustling?”
“Nahh, (they’d) never get
enough of them in there.”
“Well, what do
you think (they’ve) been doin’?”
-actual movie
dialogue
An
agreeable time-spender, this nonetheless has its clichés, which is what you can
expect from a 1930’s flick. Of course there is the stereotypical subservient
black servant, and of course the man in charge of the cattle rustlers is the
town’s leading citizen. One of the Duke’s last flings before he walks into
legend.
