Until very recently, I'd seen quite a few B-westerns but never a Hopalong Cassidy film. Well, after trying a few in May, I've now seen almost 60 of the 66 films....which shows I must enjoy them...at least a bit! Fortunately, the original prints were cleaned up and posted to YouTube some time ago...and apart from the Cassidy films, many of the old B-westerns have been trimmed to fit TV time slots. This is not the case with the Cassidy pictures...they are indeed complete.
Marshal Windy Halliday (Gabby Hayes) has contacted his old friend Hopalong Cassidy because he need help combating outlaws led by 'Stiff-Hat' Bailey, the local baddie boss-man. Soon after arriving, Hoppy strikes up a friendship with young Joey...and Joey is a really nice kid. As for his mother, she's running a ranch by herself and most folks think she's a widow. However, the truth is that her husband is a crook and has been rotting in prison...and she's lied to Joey...telling him that his father was a good guy. But when this jerk of a father escapes from prison and shows up, he's able to manipulate Joyce into pretending he's her brother. But Hoppy is suspicious...as the guy's story just doesn't make any sense and he knows that Uncle Dan is hiding something. What's next? And, what awful things does 'Uncle Dan' have in store? And, what will Hoppy and his friends do?
Like most of the Cassidy films, this one was filmed around Lone Pine, California...an incredibly scenic location filled with gorgeous vistas and Mt. Whitney. It's so beautiful that after seeing a few Cassidy films, I've planned a vacation to the area to see this area where about a thousand different movies were made!
So is it any good? Yes. The film has a lot of originality to it, stressed characters over action and it's pretty exciting at times. Also, something unusual about the picture is that there is some singing in it (at about the 40 minute mark) and it's very nice...and naturally NOT done by Hoppy! Overall, another excellent installment but also a sad film as it marks the final appearance by Gabby Hayes in a Cassidy film...and soon the studio would have to find a replacement. They went through several old coot sort of characters until finally sticking with Andy Clyde...the only sidekick of Hoppy's who was about as enjoyable as Hayes.
Marshal Windy Halliday (Gabby Hayes) has contacted his old friend Hopalong Cassidy because he need help combating outlaws led by 'Stiff-Hat' Bailey, the local baddie boss-man. Soon after arriving, Hoppy strikes up a friendship with young Joey...and Joey is a really nice kid. As for his mother, she's running a ranch by herself and most folks think she's a widow. However, the truth is that her husband is a crook and has been rotting in prison...and she's lied to Joey...telling him that his father was a good guy. But when this jerk of a father escapes from prison and shows up, he's able to manipulate Joyce into pretending he's her brother. But Hoppy is suspicious...as the guy's story just doesn't make any sense and he knows that Uncle Dan is hiding something. What's next? And, what awful things does 'Uncle Dan' have in store? And, what will Hoppy and his friends do?
Like most of the Cassidy films, this one was filmed around Lone Pine, California...an incredibly scenic location filled with gorgeous vistas and Mt. Whitney. It's so beautiful that after seeing a few Cassidy films, I've planned a vacation to the area to see this area where about a thousand different movies were made!
So is it any good? Yes. The film has a lot of originality to it, stressed characters over action and it's pretty exciting at times. Also, something unusual about the picture is that there is some singing in it (at about the 40 minute mark) and it's very nice...and naturally NOT done by Hoppy! Overall, another excellent installment but also a sad film as it marks the final appearance by Gabby Hayes in a Cassidy film...and soon the studio would have to find a replacement. They went through several old coot sort of characters until finally sticking with Andy Clyde...the only sidekick of Hoppy's who was about as enjoyable as Hayes.