User Reviews

SYNOPSIS: A frontier clash between rustlers and cattleowners finds Hopalong Cassidy, the "Bar 20" foreman, at even more of a disadvantage than usual. One rustler chief is a cinch for Hoppy to handle, but this time the band is led by twin brothers, one a gambling hall owner, and the other foreman of a ranch. From the ranch, raids are made for cattle, and an alibi is always available because one of the brothers is always seen by various people well away from the scene of the rustling. Hopalong Cassidy's feud with the rustlers starts when they take some of the "Bar 20" prize cattle. (This film is available on an excellent Platinum Disc DVD).

NOTES: In a remarkable change of tack (see Heart of Arizona), Paramount now insists that the script here was based on Mulford's characters, not on either an original Mulford screen story or on Mulford's novel, "On the Trail of the Tumbling T". Reading between the lines, it seems obvious that, through his lawyers, Mulford had complained about the ambivalent press releases surrounding Heart of Arizona and the claim made for Bar 20 Justice. I think we can take it for granted that Mulford had nothing to do with either story or script for Heart of Arizona and likewise Bar 20 Justice. Indeed Paramount's reckless claims obviously placed the author in an embarrassing situation with the IRS. And that's why the studio is now suddenly insisting that Mulford was not paid any additional money and rendered no services whatever.

COMMENT: Like most of the other Cassidy entries of the 1930s, this one saves all its action for the last reel - and a pretty tame shoot-out it is too! However, it does offer a dual role for one of our favorite character players, Stanley Ridges. Also, it must be admitted that the dialogue is tense enough. Russell Harlan's fine location camerawork is another major asset. As for heroine, Ruth Rogers, she must have been assigned to the movie over producer Harry Sherman's head. "Pop" Sherman doesn't like blonde ladies at all, so doubtless cut her role to the bone. I'd be surprised if she was on screen for much more than five minutes all told (which, considering her abysmal performance, is maybe just as well). However, "Pop" Sherman does indulge his more likable penchant for "employing more former Hollywood big shots as extras than any other producer in Hollywood." Sherman insists that the jury that tries Russell Hayden for murder includes "three former directors and five actors of erstwhile importance." I recognized the jury foreman as Frank O'Connor, who directed around twenty silent features including The Block Signal (starring Jean Arthur), Devil's Island (starring Pauline Frederick), Spangles (starring Marian Nixon), and The Silent Power.

Be prepared to be thoroughly befuddled as to which of a pair of identical twins(both played by Stanley Ridges) you are looking at. Dave Talbot is foreman of Tom Hamilton's Lazy J ranch, while brother Earl Brennan runs a casino, in town. But, sometimes they switch roles, and when one is accused of malice, his brother has an alibi that he was somewhere else then. Amazingly, it's not until late in the film that the 2 are caught being in the same place to confirm Hoppy's suspicion that he was dealing with 2 lookalikes. When playing cards in Brennan's casino, Hoppy noticed that when he played with Brennan, sometimes he always licked his thumb before dealing, while at other times, he never licked his thumb, leading Hoppy to suspect that he was dealing with 2 lookalikes.........The criminal activity begins when Lucky(Russell Haydan) and Windy(George Hayes) are put in charge of selling a cattle herd to Hamilton(Frederick Buton). While Lucky and some of the Hamilton crew go in town that evening to party, Windy keeps an eye on the herd. When Lucky returns, he finds Windy tied up and all the cattle gone from the enclosure. Lucky and Hamilton argue about who was the owner of the cattle when stolen. Lucky, Windy and others ride around looking for the missing cattle. Someone comments that it looks like an inside job. When they encounter Mr. Hamilton, Lucky mouths this supposition, and Hamilton doesn't like it. He forbids Lucky and Windy to come on his ranch again........In town, Lucky picks a fight with Talbot, Hamilton's foreman. The two go to see Hamilton at his ranch, and the 3 argue some more, then ride to town to confer with the marshal. But on the way, a gunman on a hill fires at them, then leaves. Lucky takes off after him, but hears a shot back where he came from. He returns to find Hamilton dead, and Talbot gone. Thus, he assumes Talbot shot Hamilton, although he doesn't understand his motive.(Perhaps, the rustlers are planning to raid Hamilton's herd, and want him out of the way so that his demure daughter will be the owner). Lucky takes the body to town, but the sheriff says Talbot(actually Brennan) has been playing cards all day. Lucky is then charged with the murder, and thrown in jail. But, he soon tricks the jailer and escapes, only to be locked up at the Hamilton ranch by Hamilton's daughter, Barbara(Ruth Rogers), who believes him guilty. I will stop with the story here. However, I will mention that Windy went off his rocker and claimed that he was the infamous outlaw Black Bart. He even somehow had fake Wanted fliers printed, and distributed them. Nobody paid attention, until the ending when the sheriff jokingly put him under arrest. He got on his horse and galloped off, ahead of Hoppy and Lucky.......Windy was asked by the casino patrons to demonstrate his prowess with a six shooter. Well, he couldn't even see the playing card target, but made out he could. Hoppy shot at the target at the same time and punched a hole in the middle. A little later, one of the bystanders noticed he had a bullet hole in his hat........Also, when Windy was shooting at a live target: Brennan, Hoppy stood in back of him and shot at the same time. Presumably, it was Hoppy's bullet that plugged Brennan in the back, as he rode off........Actress Ruth Rogers was little used by Hollywood. This is one of only a few films where she had a credited role. She was a good looking blond but, in her role, she comes across as a pampered city girl, not a tomboy, the daughter of a rancher........See it at YouTube

"Silver on the Sage" is one of the better Hoppys of the period. This time around he's up against twin brothers played by Stanley Ridges.

Lucky (Russell Hayden) and Windy (George Hayes) are bringing a herd of cattle from the Bar 20 to the Lazy J Ranch owned by cattleman Tom Hamilton (Frederick Burton) who has a young daughter Barbara (Ruth Rogers) , while Hoppy (William Boyd) is away buying breeding stock. Lucky and the boys head to town for a celebration whilst Windy stays behind to watch over the cattle.

While the Boys are in town, Windy is overpowered and the cattle stolen. When Lucky returns from town, Hamilton refuses to accept ownership of the herd because he had not as yet counted the herd and paid off the men. Lucky, Windy and the boys search for the missing herd and come up empty. Lucky accuses Hamilton of rustling the herd. He bars Lucky and his crew from his ranch.

In town, Hamilton's foreman Dave Talbot (Ridges) goes to warn his twin brother Earl Brennan (also Ridges) that the cattle they stole were from the Bar 20. Lucky sends his cowhands back to the Bar20. On their way they meet Hoppy who was coming to investigate several recent local rustlings. Hoppy proceeds to the town where he decides to go undercover as a gambler to investigate his herd's theft.

Talbot and Lucky tangle with Talbot attempting to shoot Lucky in the back. He brings Talbot back to Hamilton's ranch where Hamilton agrees to bring his foreman to the City Marshal (Jack Rockwell). Meanwhile, Brennan dresses as his brother an enters a poker game with Hoppy while Talbot, Lucky and Hamilton are coming to town. They are ambushed by a sniper. While Lucky chases the sniper, Hamilton is gunned down by Talbot.

Talbot has an air tight alibi because Brennan dressed as him is mistaken for Talbot therefore Lucky is charged with murder, Lucky manages to escape and flee with Hoppy, Windy and a posse in pursuit. Hoppy manages to have Windy hide Lucky near a desert water hole while he returns to town.

Resuming his poker game in which Talbot is now participating, Hoppy notices subtle differences in Talbot's mannerisms and becomes suspicious. Brennan has been warned by his henchmen Ewing (Roy Barcroft) and Pierce (Ed Cassidy) that the newly hired gambler is indeed Hopalong Cassidy. Windy, meanwhile, posing as the "notorious" Black Bart is tied up by Ewing and Pierce.

Brennan dressed as Talbot when the real Talbot arrives to warn his brother. A scuffle ensues, the Marshal is shot and Talbot arrested. Brennan and his gang bolt in the confusion and head out of town. Hoppy, Windy and the Deputy (Hank Bell) head up a posse and pursue Brennan. Hoppy and Windy break off from the posse and go to Lucky. Lucky decides to go to the Hamilton ranch to warn them that their cattle are about to be rustled. Hoppy decides to trail Brennan across the desert leaving markers to show the others his trail.

Lucky is tied up by Barbara and her hands and Hoppy's markers are found by an outlaw who was left behind by Brennan. Lucky is released when Windy and the posse arrive to warn Barbara. Hoppy meanwhile, has found Brennan's hideaway in an oasis in the middle of the desert but is left to face them alone. As his ammunition runs low.........................................................

Stanley Ridges gives a good performance as the evil twins. He gives each twin a distinct personality. Roy Barcroft, who was just emerging as a top "B" western bad guy, has a few comical scenes with Hayes with whom he would meet up with again at Republic Pictures in their Roy Rogers series. Veteran "B' westerner the mustachioed Hank Bell has a larger than usual part as the Deputy.

Once again, Hopalong Cassidy and his faithful companions Windy, Lucky and Topper are involved with dastardly villains who rustle, lie, cheat and do all sorts of other mean and nasty stuff.

Windy and Lucky are still squabbling like little kids.

The scenery is beautiful and the rocks look familiar from dozens of other westerns filmed at the same location.

One of the better Hoppy films with interesting characters and plot twists and turns ... some of which come as surprises.

*I wrote a more detailed review about a month ago when I saw the film but it's in someone's wastebasket or reject file so this one will have to do for now.