What got my attention right out of the gate was how young the principles were in this early Three Mesquiteers outing - Robert Livingston, Ray Corrigan and Max Terhune, the trio that participated in the most number of films as the title characters. "Roarin' Lead" was only the third film in the series that eventually stretched to fifty one pictures, so it's not surprising that the boys still had that youthful appearance.
As for the story, and this is not meant as a put down, but it's a largely forgettable one that once again explores a crooked town boss (Hooper Atchley) who's taking out local ranchers via the old rustlers stealing cattle gimmick, but with a bit of a twist. Hackett (Atchley), as president of the Cattlemen's Protective Association, was paying out insurance claims on the stolen beef, but with funds running low, he intended to foreclose on the local orphanage, thereby adding a valuable piece of real estate to his holdings. Bad mistake - the Mesquiteers turn up as the trustees of the Clark Estate, majority stake holders in the company that owns the orphanage.
What's different about this early oater is the inclusion of a variety show put on by the orphans who try to save their home. I would never have thought about the possibility, but Miss Doris (Christine Maple) actually frowned on adoption if it meant that the children would go to parents whose only intent was to use the kids as 'slave labor' on their respective ranches. That term - 'slave labor' - was used more than once, and really made me think about how kids might have been taken advantage of in a situation that presumably would have been for their benefit.
Hey, did you catch that cliff jump into the lake by Stony (Livingston) and Tucson (Corrigan) to escape the bad guy posse? And you thought that Butch and Sundance scene was entirely original!
I was surprised at the amount of screen time given to Yakima Canutt as henchman Canary, since he wasn't Hatchett's top gun, but reporting to George Chesebro's Captain Gardner. But the Swami gimmick that exposes Yak with an injured wrist was pretty lame, with Hackett making his own matters worse by trying to gun the good guys in a crowded hall. There wasn't too much thought put into these stories when you come right down to it, but if you're a fan like me, you're willing to cut everyone involved a little slack.
Not too much more to add except for the puzzler ending - Did Lullaby (Max Terhune) really adopt Bobby???!!!
As for the story, and this is not meant as a put down, but it's a largely forgettable one that once again explores a crooked town boss (Hooper Atchley) who's taking out local ranchers via the old rustlers stealing cattle gimmick, but with a bit of a twist. Hackett (Atchley), as president of the Cattlemen's Protective Association, was paying out insurance claims on the stolen beef, but with funds running low, he intended to foreclose on the local orphanage, thereby adding a valuable piece of real estate to his holdings. Bad mistake - the Mesquiteers turn up as the trustees of the Clark Estate, majority stake holders in the company that owns the orphanage.
What's different about this early oater is the inclusion of a variety show put on by the orphans who try to save their home. I would never have thought about the possibility, but Miss Doris (Christine Maple) actually frowned on adoption if it meant that the children would go to parents whose only intent was to use the kids as 'slave labor' on their respective ranches. That term - 'slave labor' - was used more than once, and really made me think about how kids might have been taken advantage of in a situation that presumably would have been for their benefit.
Hey, did you catch that cliff jump into the lake by Stony (Livingston) and Tucson (Corrigan) to escape the bad guy posse? And you thought that Butch and Sundance scene was entirely original!
I was surprised at the amount of screen time given to Yakima Canutt as henchman Canary, since he wasn't Hatchett's top gun, but reporting to George Chesebro's Captain Gardner. But the Swami gimmick that exposes Yak with an injured wrist was pretty lame, with Hackett making his own matters worse by trying to gun the good guys in a crowded hall. There wasn't too much thought put into these stories when you come right down to it, but if you're a fan like me, you're willing to cut everyone involved a little slack.
Not too much more to add except for the puzzler ending - Did Lullaby (Max Terhune) really adopt Bobby???!!!