Hopalong Cassidy: Border Patrol

The most outstanding series of westerns began in 1935 from Paramount Pictures "Hopalong Cassidy", under the guiding hand of producer Harry "Pop" Sherman...continued well into the '40s proved to be the most successful 'B' Westerns ever made...based on Clarence E. Mulford's stories, they strived in changing Cassidy's image, which was both original and influential...the hero, played by William Lawrence Boyd, was mature and a man of his word...the plots were solid with a sudden burst of climactic action in the last reel, usually a frantic chase backed by tension-building music.In all, Boyd made sixty-six Hopalong Cassidy Westerns, early films included Uncle Ben and Windy Halliday, both played by veteran actor George "Gabby" Hayes...was a steady favorite as a hitchrack, was chosen five years in succession as one of the 10 best money-making Western sidekick stars...like most western comics, had his share of narrow escapes being thrown from his horse, burned by blanks...but that was all in a days work...his one-liners will never be forgotten..."You're dern tootin'"..."Never trust a female, they're pure poyzin"...or my all-time favorite ~ "Persnickgordy Women"...this crusty old-timer stole many a scene from John Wayne, Randolph Scott and yes even William Boyd.In this Volume One we have five films of the following:BORDER PATROL (1943-B&W-65 mins)Boyd (Hoppy), Andy Clyde (California Jack Carlson), Jay Kirby (Johnny Travers), George Reeves, Duncan Reynaldo, Robert Mitchum.As Texas Rangers, Hoppy, California and Johnny trying to end a scheme which smuggles Mexicans into the United States to become essentially slaves in a silver mine owned by Orestes Krebs...The three Rangers are captured, sentenced to hang, and then escape. They free the slaves and capture the bad guys...Duncan Renaldo (The Cisco Kid) as a Mexican police commandant...Robert Mitchum plays a badman of the plains...lots of action including four gunfights, plus comedy and get camaraderie by the entire Paramount cast.DOOMED CARAVAN (1941-B&W-62 mins)Boyd (Hoppy), Andy Clyde (California Jack Carlson), Russell Hayden (Lucky Jenkins), Morris Ankrum, Minna GombellWith Jane Travers next caravan, she asks Hoppy to guard against the bandits who have been out to stop her shipments...men dressed as soldiers to escort the caravan are fake...Hoppy immediately sees through this farce and he, the Bar 20 boys foil that plan...but as the plot would have it, everyone is captured but Hoppy and are being sent off to the firing squad. Now Hoppy has to find a way to save them singlehandedly...Hoppy must make sure this doesn't happen...will Hoppy succeed...will there be another chapter in the Adventures of Hopalong Cassidy...don't miss the final conclusion of this exciting B-Western to end all B-Westerns!FOOL'S GOLD (1947-B&W-63 mins)Boyd (Hoppy), Andy Clyde (California Jack Carlson), Rand Brooks (Lucky Jenkins), Robert Emmett Keane, Steve Barclay, Jane Randolph, Harry CordingHoppy is requested by the Colonel to bring back his son to face a court marshal...the Bar 20 foreman (Hoppy) finds him in Professor Dixon's gang, who is out to swindle the government of a large gold shipment. But just as Hoppy and his friends learn Dixon is substituting copper bars plated with gold for the real ones...will they be able to ride fast enough to catch up with the gang and stop the real gold shipment from being stolen...well, you know Hoppy, and when danger and outlaws are involved he usually comes through and saves the day.FORTY THIEVES (1948-B&W-60 mins)Boyd (Hoppy), Andy Clyde (California Jack Carlson), Jimmy Rogers (Himself), Kirk Alyn, Glenn Strange, Hal Taliaferro, Louise Currie, Herbert Rawlinson, Jack RockwellHoppy is beaten by Jerry Doyle in a local sheriff election...Doyle a gutless nobody is elected by every outlaw and badman in town...when Hoppy tries to impeach the sheriff, the outlaw leader Tad Hammond sends for and hirs 40 gunhands to stop this action by our man in black...can Hoppy walk away from this in one piece...more than a dozen men come at Cassidy with guns blazing, but our hero shoots the lights out and gives them what for and sends them packing to the calaboose (the jail)HIDDEN GOLD (1940-B&W-61 mins)Boyd (Hoppy), Russell Hayden (Lucky Jenkins), Britt Wood (Speedy), Roy Barcroft, Eddie Dean, Jack Rockwell, Ruth Rogers, Ethel Wales.Having been called in to investigate a series of stage holdups, Hoppy and Lucky Jenkins use the excuse to visit an old pal of the Bar 20 Speedy (Britt Wood)...Hoppy suspects it may be ex-outlaw Colby (Roy Barcroft) who is taking gold from his own mine and robbers elsewhere...Speedy strikes gold and Cassidy borrows it then announces a fresh shipment hoping to catch the gang and their leader...final scene is worth the price of a ticket, as Hoppy follows the number one boss into the shaft and dukes it out...this wranglers is why Hopalong Cassidy is still the best in the west!Hoppy's interaction with California Carlson (Andy Clyde) is always a shot in the arm with his down-to-earth humor and sentimentality, theses scenes are pure Americana! Boyd, with his silver hair, black clothes and white horse (Topper) rode into our lives and we've never been the same since...your children and grandchildren will enjoy this clean wholesome entertainment...Hoppy always wore two silver white handle six shooters, never drank or smoked, when the good guys always won and the moral to the story was fair-play...outstanding role model...gotta love it!Another pick for "Pop" Sherman was a new sidekick for the Cassidy films...a newcomer Lucky Jenkins, played by Russell Hayden had his job cut out for him, with Boyd (as the hero) and Andy Clyde (California Carlson) for comedy, left the field of romance and action wide open, Hayden filled those "boots" perfectly.William Boyd was my hero, this collection of five films are perfect, clear and give me hope for the future. Our youth should have such a hero to look up to today. Must mention the fact that I still miss one of my all-time-favorite sidekicks though, George "Gabby" Hayes, you're durn tootin'!Paramount and Clarence E. Mulford's fictional western character Hopalong Cassidy comes to life through William Boyd as Hoppy and Andy Clyde as California with films from the '40s...horse operas directed by Lesley Selander and George Archainbaud...some of the best hard riding and smokin' gunplay that ever came across the big screen from the Bar 20 boys...just the way we like 'em.Total Time: 311 mins (5 films) DVD ~ Platinum Disc Corp 19539 ~ (7/27/2004)

BOOT Legged:This is not an official licensed Hopalong Cassidy DVD release. The official and highest of quality Hoppy DVD's call 800-711-4677.

The best reason to watch this film is to catch a young George Reeves, ten years before Superman, in a small but pivotal part as a dashing young Mexican.