Partners of the Plains (1938) User Reviews

This Hoppy film has it all (almost .....)

[revdrcac · 7/10 · 26 October 2006]

The early Hopalong Cassidy films were generally the best & this one is no exception. Hoppy is again joined here by the young Russell "Lucky" Hayden, as they help a lady in distress manage a ranch coveted by several sagebrush ruffians. The lady initially detests Hoppy, but soon becomes enamored of the black-clad foreman.

Gabby Hayes is absent from this film, due to then on-going contract negotiations. While his presence is missed here, this film offers all the best elements of the classic Hoppy film. The action, script and casting here are superb. No one played the western hero better than William Boyd and he is at his prime here!

One of the top 10 Hopalong films !

Unusual Cassidy entry!

[JohnHowardReid · 7/10 · 6 February 2018]

Copyright 28 January 1938 by Paramount Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Central (on a double bill with Telephone Operator): 11 February 1938. U.S. release: 14 January 1938. Australian release: 30 June 1938. 6,305 feet. 70 minutes.

SYNOPSIS: When Lorna Drake, a spoiled English girl, arrives at the L-D Ranch, which she largely owns, on her way from London to California, she takes an immediate dislike to the ranch foreman, Hopalong Cassidy. Her rage increases when he makes it plain to her that he is one man who will not take orders from her, even if she does own the ranch on which he works. To get even with the man who has scorned her, Lorna has him arrested, charging him with stealing a horse, and then gets him released into her custody. Hopalong accepts his sentence with good grace, and under the spell of the Arizona moon they fall in love with each other. This proves too much for Ron Harwood, Lorna's Eastern fiancé, who is out for her money, and he plots with "Scar" Lewis. An excellent Image (also Platinum Disc) DVD.

COMMENT: A somewhat unusual Hopalong in that it's longer on romance than action. True, there's time out for some great stunt work, but, oddly, little opportunity is made for comic relief. That's a plus in my books, but some fans are going to be a mite disappointed. Whatever, Russell Harlan's superlative photography is a mighty attractive asset too.

Hoppy tames a shrew : classic battle of the sexes

[weezeralfalfa · 8/10 · 28 January 2019]

This is one Hoppy film, where it's the lead female rather than Hoppy who rides off into the sunset. She's Gwen Gaze, who plays super spoiled Lorna Drake, who is used to everyone doing what she commands, which rubs L-D ranch foremen Hopalong the wrong way. Hence they spend the majority of the film verbally fighting, when they aren't flirting. On the way from the stagecoach to the L-D ranch, in a buckboard driven by Hoppy's friend Baldy(Harvey Clark), she complains that the horses aren't going fast enough for her. When Baldy explains that they are going as fast as is safe, she grabs the reigns, and signals to the horses to go faster. Soon, the buckboard is a runaway, as she doesn't know to control the horses. Hoppy happens to see this, and gallops to reign in the horses. This is her introduction to the man that Baldy kept talking about. It was soon clear that they would lock horns frequently during her brief stay at the ranch. Lorna, her aunt Martha(Hilda Plowright), and her fiancé Ron Harwood(John Warburton) where making a brief stop on their way from England to San Francisco. ........Eventually, Hoppy had enough of Lorna telling him what to do, and badmouthing ranchers in general, and he announced that he was quitting, and would work for a neighboring rancher. After Hoppy left, she realized that she could charge him with being a horse thief, since he didn't have a bill of sale for Topper(his horse). She had the sheriff(Earle Hodkins) arrest him and thrown in jail. Later, she said she wanted him released to her custody, meaning he couldn't legally wander off from the L.D. ranch while she was there. He grasped that she was playing a game with him. He said he didn't want to leave jail, but eventually was forced to by the confused submissive sheriff. Her fiancé, Ron, talks tough to Hoppy, who flattens him with one punch to put him in his place. Now, between bickerings, Lorna began to show some romantic interest in Hoppy. As one of the boys was playing "Moonlight on the Sunset Trail" in the evening, she was with Hoppy, and began singing it. Ron got jealous and told her to stop flirting with Hoppy. So, she gave him back his engagement ring.......Ron thought of shooting Hoppy, and joined forces with Scar Lewis(Al Bridge), who also wanted Hoppy dead, for putting him in prison for 5 years. Scar comes up with the idea of luring Hoppy to a cabin just below a dam, then blowing up the dam with dynamite. Hoppy gets the impression that something is going on around the dam, so travels there with Lucky. They meet Ron, with another conspirator: Doc Galer(Al Hill), who have emplaced the dynamite. Hoppy gets the drop on Doc, who then gets the drop on Lucky, who knocks the gun out of his hand, allowing Hoppy to shoot him. Before he dies, he shoots his gun at the dynamite, and miraculously lights the fuse! Hoppy rushes over and defuses the explosive. Hoppy sees a buckboard containing Baldy and Lorna drive up to the cabin. Baldy escorts Lorna inside the cabin, then goes outside for some reason. Soon a brush fire explodes and makes it's way to the cabin. Scar and a few others begin shooting at Hoppy and Ron(The latter has switched sides). While Lucky goes back to the ranch to get some reinforcements, Hoppy makes his way down to the cabin and carries the fainted Lorna out to safety. The gun battle continues , and is intensified when Lucky returns with more men. Eventually, Scar and the others are killed. Hoppy tells Lorna to return to the ranch house, while he keeps an eye on the fire. She says "Yes, Hoppy", in a submissive tone.........As the Brits are about to leave, Lorna is very pleasant to Hoppy, thankful that he saved her life. She says she will be back in the fall for a longer stay. Ron decides to stay on at the ranch..........Harvey Clark, as Baldy, did an excellent job in trying to mimic the absent Windy(George Hayes), as the humorous old timer. Unfortunately, he would die later that year, only 52.......I think this is my favorite Hopalong Cassidy film, thus far. The main weakness I see is that the physical action is all concentrated at near the end and that portion of the screen play is a bit unbelievable........See it at YouTube.

The Manor Born

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 25 November 2016]

Partners Of The Plains finds Hopalong Cassidy and young protégé Lucky Jenkins signing on to get in shape a new ranch that some English people have bought. John Warburton over from across the pond seems nice enough, but young Gwen Gaze and her aunt Hilda Plowright act like they are to the manor born. Hoppy really has to put her in her place.

Still she's intrigued by Bill Boyd because no one has ever treated her quite like that before. The owners also are bothered by rustlers headed by screen villain Al Bridge who has some history with Hopalong Cassidy.

The film also seems an audition for Harvey Clark to replace Gabby Hayes as part of the trio. Clark had his moments as Baldy, but he died later that year.

This film is recommended for the way Hoppy puts Gwen Gaze in her place, western style.

An enjoyable and different Hoppy film, better than most

[chipe · 6/10 · 17 April 2015]

To my pleasure this was a different kind of Hoppy film, but it retained the best elements of the series — Hoppy's sterling, steely character, and his friendship towards his associates.

The British owners of the L-D Ranch, where Hoppy is the foreman, are visiting the ranch on their way to California. The chief owner is snooty, imperious, self-absorbed Lorna Drake. What is unusual is how Hoppy's love-hate relationship with her dominates the length of the film. In fact, in the first half of the film there is absolutely no bad-guy activities. In the second half of the film, Scar Lewis, who had been sent to jail by Hoppy, finally makes his move: he convinces the spurned lover of Lorna to help him get Hoppy into a remote cabin where they can blast the dam to flood Hoppy to his death. That's it — no robbery, rustling, counterfeiting ring, etc — just a plan to kill Hoppy.

Hoppy's movie-long bickering with Lorna got tiring at times, but for the most part was enjoyable. It's always fun to watch Hoppy's character withstand all adversity and forgive the temporary failings of his friends.

Hoppy digs in...........

[girvsjoint · 8/10 · 16 June 2019]

A decent entry in the Hoppy catalogue, with our hero locking horns with an English ranch owner played by Melbourne born actress Gwen Gaze, who starts off disliking Hoppy, and clashing with him often through most of the film, but eventually his charm wins her over! Russel Hayden's 'Lucky' is on hand of course, but no Gabby Hayes in this one, his place taken by Harvey Clark as 'Baldy', he survives the film, but sadly died later in the year at only 52. Gwen Gaze for whatever reason retired from films in 1943, but lived to a ripe old age of 94, dying in 2010. Interesting to look back on these old films now, and follow the lives and fate of all the actors via IMDB.

Hopalong tames a British harpy and fights s bad guy named scar!

[cgvsluis · 7/10 · 18 June 2022]

This was my first Hopalong Cassidy film and it was easy to see why "Hoppy" has such a big following. Hoppy works on a ranch and the owner, a spoiled opinionated woman named Lorna Drake visits for the first time and these two get along like oil and water. Hoppy is joined on the ranch by Lucky and Baldy...they end up having a face off with bad guy Scar Lewis and his gang, but the real story is the battle of wills between Hoppy and Lorna.

Classic western in that the good guy rides a white horse, but I couldn't help wishing for a good old fashioned spanking ala John Wayne!

"Men who look like ornaments on a croquet court." (Reference to bow-legged cowboys)

"Any bronc that's worthwhile is worth the trouble taming. "-Hoppy.

Lorna is a woman bent on seducing Cassidy...which fans know is pretty much impossible.

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 6 October 2020]

During the course of the Hopalong Cassidy series, the composition of Hoppy's two sidekicks often changed. Both the handsome younger guy and the grizzled old coot sidekicks are basic archetypes for the series...but who played them varied. The most stable of the two was the old coot. Gabby Hayes played Windy in almost all the early films and later the majority of the times Andy Clyde played California...but in between the studio tried with several others that just didn't seem to fit in very well...such as Britt Wood as Speedy, Frank Darien as Pappy and, in this film, Harvey Clark as Baldy. Sadly, whether Clark would have worked in this role or not, it was his only Cassidy film since he died soon after making this movie!

When the film begins, the Englishwoman Lorna Drake arrives to take control of her family's ranch. This woman is essentially a one-dimensional cartoon, as she seems very unreal...too haughty, too nasty and too much of a know-it-all to be realistic in the old west. To say she's abrasive and unbelievable is pretty much on point.

Lorna immediately takes a dislike for Hoppy...Lord knows why. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, she decides to seduce him...which is super unlikely as in nearly every film, Hoppy is either asexual or shows a mild dislike of dating and female company. Her fiance becomes jealous and enlists the help of a local baddie, Scar, to kill Cassidy. Naturally, the plan backfires and Lorna is nearly killed instead. Can Hoppy save the day as well as tame this shrew?

As I mentioned above, Lorna is a ridiculous character...so abrasive and annoying that I almost stopped watching the movie. Yes, she's THAT bad!! My advice is to resist the urge to stop and stick with it. It does improve....but she STILL remains annoying and hateful. In fact, unlike all the other reviews now posted, I do think this character ruined the movie...making it hard to enjoy. I am a very kind man and would never strike any woman...but Lorna is so awful that I just wanted to see Hoppy punch her in the mouth! That is NOT a glowing endorsement of this film, that's for sure!!

Hoppy Takes on a Snooty Woman

[dougdoepke · 31 March 2019]

Check out bad guy Scar's black hat--- it's big enough to shade an army. But don't expect Hoppy to be wearing a white hat. In fact, he's got a different wardrobe from his usual. I guess that reflects the movie's story. There is a bad guy and a bang-up climax, but our hero's main conflict is with a snooty girl, Lorna, from the east. Turns out she owns the ranch where Hoppy works, and it's gone to her head, ordering everyone around like servants. Naturally, Hoppy won't take it, so a personality clash ensues, ending in who will dominate.

The bad guy stuff with Scar's kind of thrown in so as to get some gunplay and hard riding. Meanwhile, Baldy (Clark) does a pretty good comedy relief, while Lucky hangs in there with nothing much to do. Anyhow, it's a different Hoppy flick with its own appeal since actress Gaze does an excellent job being both snooty and finally charming. Too bad her career was so short, 13 appearances. I really like the ending with its own brand of appeal. So if you don't mind a different kind of entry, give it a try.