Last night, we saw another Lightning Bill Carson western starring Tim McCoy. In "Outlaws' Paradise"(1939), a gang led by Ted Adams pulls off a mail heist that nets them 30 grand in gubment bonds. When Ted hides the money at Iverson Ranch - "to let it cool off" - one of his henchmen tells him to make sure and save a cut for "Trigger Mallory" (also Tim McCoy), who's about to be released after serving three years in jail. It's not Adams' gang after all, it's Mallory's. He's the real leader; Ted just took over after Mallory got caught in an earlier holdup. Adams scoffs at including Mallory in on the take. "I'm the boss now. I'm not sure I even want him back after three years in stir. A man can lose his nerve in that amount of time, and his quick draw." Trigger hasn't lost his nerve. We've seen him on parole day. He's ornery and demands to be released "right now". The deputy tells him to hold his horses, "Ya got two more hours, Mallory. We go by the book around here".
When the Marshal's office gets word of the post office robbery, they assign Lightning Carson and his partner "Magpie" (Ben Corbett) to the case. No sooner so they get a look at Trigger Mallory's photo, then Magpie gets a brilliant idea. "Dang, Lightnin'" he says, "durned if you're not his dead ringer." Yes folks, it's the Old Dual Role Routine yet again. What would 60 minute Westerns be without them? We the audience know from the beginning of the movie that Trigger Mallory looked just like Tim McCoy, and that McCoy looked just like Lightning Carson, but when Lightning figures it out, he sets up a plan to infiltrate Trigger's gang. What would 60 minute Westerns be without infiltrations? Lighting talks to the jail warden and arranges for Trigger to be held indefinitely, beyond his release date, until he can impersonate Trigger, infiltrate the gang, and bust them for the 30 grand bond theft.
Observing Trigger in his cell from a hidden vantage point (and he's out-reeged now that he's been denied release with two hours to go), Lightning Bill adopts his voice and mannerisms and sets out to meet up with the gang. A meeting place has been pre-arranged by Trigger's gal "Jessie" (Joan Barclay), but when Lighting shows up at the appointed spot, he doesn't quite have Trigger's persona down pat, and Ted Adams - suspicious as always - has a feeling that something is weird with "Trigger". This leads him to trick Lightning Bill into a phony cattle rustling job in which he's to be ambushed. But when it happens, and Bill draws fast enough to shoot the guns from three henchmen's hands, Ted gives up trying to take over the gang from "Trigger". That is, until the real Trigger finds a newpaper that shows him out of jail. He knows he's been set-up, that someone from the Feds is impersonating him, and he escapes. Then he and Ted Adams, with Jessie's help, take Lightning Bill Carson prisoner.
While I liked Tim McCoy's alter-ego role as a jailbird, it wasn't as much fun as the Mexican Bandito persona he adopted in the two other Lightning Carson films we've seen. He's a hoot in those movies, and while he's good here too, the plot doesn't have as much going for it, it's mostly built around Ted Adams' suspicion that he's not the real Trigger Mallory, which we already know. The best thing about this entry in the series is Joan Barclay, one of our favorite Western Sweethearts, who - while svelte and classy as always - is playing a Bad Gal this time around. She's loyal to Trigger Mallory throughout, and even holds Lightning Bill at gunpoint until Ted Adams and Trigger can subdue him and tie him up. Only with Magpie's help does Lightning Bill live through this one, which, while not the best in the series, still gets Two Big Thumbs Up. Why? Tim McCoy of course. He's always highly recommended, and the picture is razor sharp. ////
The previous night, the Rough Riders were back, and - oh boy! - that's always cause for celebration, am I right? In "Below the Border"(1942), "Marshal Buck Roberts" (Buck Jones), working undercover as outlaw John Robbins, is riding the stage through Walker Ranch, along with "Senorita Rosita Garcia" (Linda Brent) and her "Aunt Maria" (Eva Puig) who live at the Garcia Ranch across the border in Mexico. The Garcias are carrying the family jewels, which are worth a fortune and are dear to "Papa Garcia" (Eumenio Blanco), who is back at the ranch and ill. When a gang of bandits rides up and robs the stage, "outlaw Robbins" willingly turns over the jewels to the robbers. This leads the Sheriff to suspect he's in on the robbery. Marshal Buck can't let him know he's undercover, because it would spoil his plan to infiltrate the robbery gang, and - as usual - he and the Marshals Office want to root out the leaders. The Sherriff doesn't have any evidence to arrest "outlaw Robbins", so he has to let him go, and Robbins heads over to the saloon, where owner Roy Barcroft likes his "bad guy" credentials. He hires Robbins (not knowing he's Marshal Buck) on to the stage robbery gang, who've coerced good-guy Garcia Ranch hand "Joe" (Dennis More), into helping them hide the Garcia jewels. Joe is vehemently against this. "I agreed to help you rustle some cattle. I never agreed to help steal the family jewels. They are sacred to Papa Garcia."
Joe goes out to Bronson Cave, where henchman "Slade" (Charles King) is waiting. Slade is in charge of the jewel box and he tells Joe to shove it when Joe demands the jewels. Then, he follows Joe back to the ranch that night and shoots him to prevent him from talking. Roy Barcroft the saloon owner is pissed, because King has now brought attention to the Garcia Ranch, and what Barcroft doesn't know is that his janitor, seemingly a bumbling fool, is "Marshal Sandy Hopkins" (Raymond Hatton), who's been spying on him from behind the scenes.
On top of this, "Marshal Tim McCall" (Tim McCoy) has ridden into town on his own, as he always does. McCall almost always works alone, whereas Marshals Buck and Sandy usually run a cover scheme between the two of them. Marshal Tim is always the main gunslinger. He shows up at the saloon, posing as a cattle buyer. Roy Barcroft says "we can do business", then Tim says "let me see your livestock", which are being held in the desert between Garcia Ranch and Bronson Cave. Charles King shows up, and because he's got a sixth sense about getting caught, he doesn't trust "cattle buyer" Tim or "outlaw" Buck. King decides to stampede the cattle, to see how the two will react, and when they identify themselves as Marshals, it turns out that Charles King was right (and isn't he always, even in a bad way?)
This leads to a great showdown between King and Marshal Buck, with the Mexican border fence separating their gunfight. Once Roy Barcroft finds out his top henchman is dead, he tries to hightail it with the Garcia jewels, and that's all I am going to tell you. There isn't as much Marshal Sandy in this one. Usually we get a clever scheme involving him as a tramp or stumblebum, who frees the other Riders from peril. This time, he's pushing a broom in Roy Barcroft's bar, without much else to do. Still, "Below the Border" gets Two Big Thumbs Up, with another great performance from Charles King, and the bottom line is that it's a great series. Don't you wish they made a couple of dozen Rough Riders movies? So do I. This one is highly recommended!
And that's all I know for tonight. Happy Summer! I'm listening to "Down on the Upside" by Soundgarden, and "Tannhauser" by Wagner, and I send you Tons of Love as always.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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