B Western movie fans - can you name anyone who's NOT in this picture? Actually, I came up with a couple names I'll save till the end of my review.
Well, I don't think you could ask for more fun than this cobbled together story that brings together virtually all the cowboy stars from the Thirties, Forties and Fifties into one epic string of shootouts, showdowns and horse chases. It's good guys versus bad guys galore, as narrator Pat Buttram, on behalf of the federal government, sends out the call for at least twenty five famous lawmen to descend on Peaceful Valley to bring down a criminal empire run by 'The Rattler'. As they arrive, the cowboy heroes meet up at the Dirty Dog Saloon, where the first of many wild melees break out, the first one instigated by Hoot Gibson when he busts up a crooked card game. From there folks, hang on to your hats, because it's a wild and wooly trip back in time to the far corners of the Wild West.
Being a huge Western movie fan, I was hopeful I could pick out some scenes from movies I've watched in the past. Such was the case when John Wayne came into view and was introduced as Jerry Mason. That was his character in 1933's "The Lucky Texan". However, the scene in which he rides in singing on horseback is almost certainly from the same year's "Riders of Destiny" in which he appeared as 'Singin' Sandy Saunders.
I also picked up on a couple of Roy Rogers flicks. There was a notable scene in which he apparently shoots reporter Dale Evans as novelist Lee Morgan, being held hostage by baddie Rex Gridley (John McGuire). Not to worry, in the story, Roy had it worked out with Lee to fake being shot! That was in 1947's "Bells of San Angelo". Then there's a very quick clip of Roy shooting the gun out of a henchman's hand; I recognized the quote by an onlooker when he said, "Say, that fellow can shoot!"! It's from Roy's 1940 picture "The Carson City Kid".
So for me, much of the fun was coming up with all that trivia as the movie progressed. Story wise though, don't try to make sense of it, because even though the action takes place in Peaceful Valley, you'll catch clips where the name of the town might be San Lorenzo or Trailcross, for example. You even have modern day technology enter the film like an airplane and in one instance, a hilarious looking mini-battle tank that enters the fray. The last laugh is provided by the film makers themselves, when a scene at the finale resolves to a movie crew shooting a Western! All done in good fun, I really recommend this film for B Western fans who just can't get enough of their cowboy heroes. One look at the lineup on the credits page here on IMDb ought to convince you to tune in, and if you don't it's your loss!
Oh, and about who's missing? There's no mention of Whip Wilson or Audie Murphy, and as far as cowboy sidekicks go, I didn't see the other Fuzzy - that being Fuzzy Knight, who often appeared with Johnny Mack Brown. And before they became TV Western heroes, Jock Mahoney and Clayton Moore often showed up as villains or henchmen. It's a shame they weren't included. But almost everyone else you could think of is here, and if you can't spot your favorite, you must have blinked!
Well, I don't think you could ask for more fun than this cobbled together story that brings together virtually all the cowboy stars from the Thirties, Forties and Fifties into one epic string of shootouts, showdowns and horse chases. It's good guys versus bad guys galore, as narrator Pat Buttram, on behalf of the federal government, sends out the call for at least twenty five famous lawmen to descend on Peaceful Valley to bring down a criminal empire run by 'The Rattler'. As they arrive, the cowboy heroes meet up at the Dirty Dog Saloon, where the first of many wild melees break out, the first one instigated by Hoot Gibson when he busts up a crooked card game. From there folks, hang on to your hats, because it's a wild and wooly trip back in time to the far corners of the Wild West.
Being a huge Western movie fan, I was hopeful I could pick out some scenes from movies I've watched in the past. Such was the case when John Wayne came into view and was introduced as Jerry Mason. That was his character in 1933's "The Lucky Texan". However, the scene in which he rides in singing on horseback is almost certainly from the same year's "Riders of Destiny" in which he appeared as 'Singin' Sandy Saunders.
I also picked up on a couple of Roy Rogers flicks. There was a notable scene in which he apparently shoots reporter Dale Evans as novelist Lee Morgan, being held hostage by baddie Rex Gridley (John McGuire). Not to worry, in the story, Roy had it worked out with Lee to fake being shot! That was in 1947's "Bells of San Angelo". Then there's a very quick clip of Roy shooting the gun out of a henchman's hand; I recognized the quote by an onlooker when he said, "Say, that fellow can shoot!"! It's from Roy's 1940 picture "The Carson City Kid".
So for me, much of the fun was coming up with all that trivia as the movie progressed. Story wise though, don't try to make sense of it, because even though the action takes place in Peaceful Valley, you'll catch clips where the name of the town might be San Lorenzo or Trailcross, for example. You even have modern day technology enter the film like an airplane and in one instance, a hilarious looking mini-battle tank that enters the fray. The last laugh is provided by the film makers themselves, when a scene at the finale resolves to a movie crew shooting a Western! All done in good fun, I really recommend this film for B Western fans who just can't get enough of their cowboy heroes. One look at the lineup on the credits page here on IMDb ought to convince you to tune in, and if you don't it's your loss!
Oh, and about who's missing? There's no mention of Whip Wilson or Audie Murphy, and as far as cowboy sidekicks go, I didn't see the other Fuzzy - that being Fuzzy Knight, who often appeared with Johnny Mack Brown. And before they became TV Western heroes, Jock Mahoney and Clayton Moore often showed up as villains or henchmen. It's a shame they weren't included. But almost everyone else you could think of is here, and if you can't spot your favorite, you must have blinked!
