Pals Of The Saddle

Republic release of William Berke production, directed by George Sherman. Screenplay by Stanley Roberts and Betty Burbridge. Camera Reggie Lansing; film editor Tony Martinelli; musical supervision Cy Feuer. Completed July 23, 1938. Running time 55 minutes.

East Coast Preview Committee:

The Three Mesquiteers voluntarily assume the duties of Secret Service agents when they unearth a plot to ship munitions in violation of the Neutrality Act. The ensuing battles with fist and gun take place against an interesting background lending itself readily to beautiful and unusual photographic effects. Smartly paced and crackling with thrills, this is an excellent western. Family.

Weekly Variety: This edition of the Mesquiteers series marks the second change in the casting of the three quick-drawing enemies of outlawry since the string was started a year and a half ago. John Wayne replaces Bob Livingston as Stony Brooke, leader of the trio, and stamps the footage with realism in appearance and performance. Wayne, who doesn’t affect the circus cowboy regalia, should please the juve trade. Film will fit in wherever they like sagebrushers.

Plot deviates slightly from the usual western formulas and, by accident or design, is up to the minute with current war mumblings abroad. Instead of rounding up cow smugglers, trio assigned to corral a bunch of munitions smugglers who are manufacturing a high explosive on the desert and exporting it to foreign powers. Stuff is found only on the desert and mined under the guise of a salt factory.

Yarn has Wayne and the trio replacing Secret Service agent who is knocked off intercepting a messenger to the smugglers. Wayne is blamed for the murder of the SS man by the latter’s femme partner, Doreen McKay, and has to clean up the gang in order to clear his name. Trio go about it in the usual western style, with Wayne impersonating the messenger who was also erased in the gun battle in which the SS agent was dropped. It gets him into the smuggler’s stronghold and momentarily into the confidence of its members. He’s found out, however, trussed up and tossed into a wagon when the gang heads for the border. Two partners and the girl round up the US Cavalry and it all turns out right at the frontier.

Wayne doesn’t go in for any heart stuff, dialogue in one or two places only interfering romance interest with Miss McKay. She’s making her Republic debut in this and handles her part neatly. Absence of love stuff at the finale surprises a little, but it allows the trio to ride off into the hills toward the logical continuation of the series. Ray Corrigan again does all right as dittoes Max Terhune, the comedian-ventriloquist.

Direction allows the film to lag a little in the opening reel but it speeds up as it goes along. Dialog okay and photography better than usual throughout.

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