Last night, we had Johnny Mack Brown in "Pony Post"(1940), a story of the Pony Express. As he's riding through Chatsworth Park, Johnny sees an Express rider being chased down by Indians. He rides after them and shoots several dead, but by the time they turn tail, they've wounded the Express rider. JMB carries him back to town on his horse and takes him to a doctor, but he dies. The manager of the Pony Express office wants to give Johnny the job, but he doesn't want it. "Too dangerous," he says. The manager's beautiful daughter (Dorothy Short) tries to persuade him, but that doesn't work either. There's too many robbers and Indians on the trail. The manager promises to make it safer. "I'll fire that operator over at Ruby Valley. He's always drunk, anyway. And, and I'll hire you a sideman".
With these provisions, Johnny accepts the job and heads over to Ruby Valley, where he meets "Shorty" (Fuzzy Knight), who works as a saddler for "Atkins" (Stanley Blystone), the Express operator who's about to be fired. Fuzzy gets a lot of screen time in comic relief, and when he learns that Johnny is gonna be the new outpost manager, he decides that he wants to become a rider, too, despite his total ineptitude with horses. Atkins, besides being a drunk, also has a side business going with the Richards brothers, "Claude" and "Mack" (Ray Teal, Jack Rockwell). They tip off the Indians whenever a Pony Express rider is coming through Chatsworth, then split the spoils with them after the Indians chase and rob the guy. Atkins doesn't wanna lose this lucrative part of his job, so he has Claude kill the district manager. Then he tells Johnny Mack, "he can't fire me now, and you don't have a job." Instead, Johnny heads over to the horse ranch of "Norma Reeves" (Nell O'Day). Norma has a stake in stopping the robberies also, as she supplies the horses used by the Pony Express, and has lost several in the Indian attacks. She tells Johnny she's going to ride through Indian country herself to identify the killers, but Johnny stops her. "Do you have any idea what they'll do to you if they catch you?" The implication is grim, but she's determined to ride out there anyway. Johnny finally relents, but only if she agrees to let him ride along.
Much time is spent with Fuzzy Knight as he "trains" (or attempts to train) to become a Pony Expressman. Charles King has a small, non-criminal role as a well-dressed gambler who has a little fun with Fuzzy at the bar. This was likely a walk-on for King, and we see him in a friendly, relaxed mood, wearing a brand new suit - amazing! There are two songs by our favorite Western band, the Jimmy Wakely Trio. Given all the screen time for Fuzzy (who we love), there's not as much action as you'd like, and therefore not as much Johnny Mack Brown, but still, he's The King, so Two Big Thumbs for "Pony Post". Johnny wears all black in this flick, a different look for him, more like Harry Carey. The picture is very good. ////
The night before, we watched Tom Tyler in "Rio Rattler"(1935). "Tom Denton" (Tyler) and his pal "Soapy" (Eddie Gribbon) ride into town, preparing to start new jobs. As they hitch up their horses, Tom tells Soapy to stay away from the bar. "We need you sober so we don't get fired". But Soapy is jonesin', so he sneaks away for a shot, and the next thing you know, the barkeep has ripped him off. Soapy says "I gave you a twenty dollar gold piece, where's my change"? The keep says, "You gave me two bits!" Of course, he's lying. A punchout ensues, involving the barkeep and all his hoodlum friends, and when Tom comes to Soapy's rescue, he discovers an ally in the fracas, a Ranger friend named "Bob Adams" (Tom London). The barkeep and his honchos vow payback, and when Tom, Bob and Soapy ride off, they are ambushed by a hired gun named "The Rattler" (Slim Whittaker). Ranger Bob is shot, and as he is dying he gives Tom his badge and I.D. card. "You can impersonate me and arrest those guys." Tom also has to inform Bob's sister "Mary" (Marion Schilling) of his death. He can't bring himself to do it, so he plays along when she asks how Bob is doing. "He's okay," Tom says. "We just crossed paths on the trail" Finally, when she finds her brother's wallet and ID on Tom, she wonders why he lied, and accuses him of murdering Bob to assume his identity. Tom swears he didn't kill Bob (which is true), and to prove it to Mary, he tells her of Bob's plan. "He wanted me to take his name, to clean up corruption in this town."
The criminal activity in town is controlled by bank owner "Mason" (William Gould). He's used to having things his way, and tells the townsfolk that Tom is a wanted criminal. Now, Tom has to run to keep from being lynched, and at the same time The Rattler is hunting him down. The Rattler ends up shooting Soapy, which leads Mary to have sympathy for him and Tom, and to distrust Mason. Because she's the sister of a Ranger, her opinion carries weight. Soon, Mason's bank is going under from withdrawals, and the Richards brothers shoot it out with Tom Denton. Music is provided as comic relief by The Smith Brothers, and it must be said they're no Jimmy Wakely Trio. In one scene, Tom Tyler even tells them how horrible they are, haha.
Two Big Thumbs Up for "Rio Rattler". The picture is soft but watchable. ////
That's all for this evening. As I write, I imagine the Paul McCartney concert is just about ending. If you went, here or in another city, I hope you had a blast. I saw Paul in 2019 at Dodger Stadium, and it was one of the greatest concerts I've ever been to. Right now, I am listening to Supersister's "A Girl Named You". I wish you a great weekend and I send you Tons of Love as always. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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