This is one of Tex Ritter's weaker efforts for Monogram. He sings only two songs. No real fist fights. No climactic battle between Tex and the evil villain. The potentially interesting part of the story is subordinated to the question of getting cattle through 'the short cut' on their way to market. We're left with a fairly weak western.
Tex plays a secret trouble shooter for 'the railroad' as he becomes involved in a ranch war (he pronounces it 'rainch') between the villain Hall's Circle H, and the good guy 'Speed' Dennison's cattle ranch. 'The Shooting Kid' (played by Chuck Woods in his second and last film) is introduced in the opening as the 'bad' son that Tex has promised the Kid's dying mother to guide to the path of good. Very quickly, the Kid becomes the hired gun for Hall, as Tex goes to work for Dennison. The Kid has to walk a tightrope whenever, with Hall's other henchmen, he has an opportunity to kill Dennison or Tex and has to weasel out of doing it. This dramatic thread is the most interesting part of the film but it never becomes the main focus.
As expected, the Kid finally joins up with Tex as he and Dennison's hands, and the sheriff's deputies, take the cattle through the short cut while shooting it out with Hall and his henchmen.
Kenne Duncan has a few scenes as Dennison. The female 'prairie flower' Laddie (Ruth Rogers) has a virtually non existent part. Ms. Rogers appeared in 34 mostly uncredited roles. Tom London, veteran of almost 600 westerns has a brief scene. As for Chuck Wood, two six guns and a fringed Hoot Gibson / 'Range Rider' jacket do not an actor make.
Nothing really going on here except for listening to Tex Ritter's fantastic drawl and easy going twinkling manner. The movie isn't more than a 3.
Tex plays a secret trouble shooter for 'the railroad' as he becomes involved in a ranch war (he pronounces it 'rainch') between the villain Hall's Circle H, and the good guy 'Speed' Dennison's cattle ranch. 'The Shooting Kid' (played by Chuck Woods in his second and last film) is introduced in the opening as the 'bad' son that Tex has promised the Kid's dying mother to guide to the path of good. Very quickly, the Kid becomes the hired gun for Hall, as Tex goes to work for Dennison. The Kid has to walk a tightrope whenever, with Hall's other henchmen, he has an opportunity to kill Dennison or Tex and has to weasel out of doing it. This dramatic thread is the most interesting part of the film but it never becomes the main focus.
As expected, the Kid finally joins up with Tex as he and Dennison's hands, and the sheriff's deputies, take the cattle through the short cut while shooting it out with Hall and his henchmen.
Kenne Duncan has a few scenes as Dennison. The female 'prairie flower' Laddie (Ruth Rogers) has a virtually non existent part. Ms. Rogers appeared in 34 mostly uncredited roles. Tom London, veteran of almost 600 westerns has a brief scene. As for Chuck Wood, two six guns and a fringed Hoot Gibson / 'Range Rider' jacket do not an actor make.
Nothing really going on here except for listening to Tex Ritter's fantastic drawl and easy going twinkling manner. The movie isn't more than a 3.
