The Kansas Terrors

Republic release of Harry Grey production. Directed by George Sherman. Screenplay by Jack Natteford and Betty Burbridge, based on original story by Luci Ward. Camera Ernest Miller; editor Tony Martinelli; music William Lava. Completed August 29, 1939, released October 6, 1939. Running time 57 minutes.

Weekly Variety: Kansas Terrors’ is the first in the fourth series of Three Mesquiteers boots-and-saddle oprys ground out by Republic and marks the return to them of Robert Livingston. Latter was in the first two series of eight each while John Wayne was featured last season.

Like its predecessors, this No. 25 in the series is unrestrained rootin’, tootin’ shootin’ and bravura by Livingston; his wizened pard, Raymond Hatton, and the Raffles-like bandito, Duncan Renaldo. It is purely and simply designed for the hinterland hamlets where a cow cabby is big stuff and it stacks up favorably with other quickie product of this ilk.

Yarn is of two Americans, Livingston and Hatton, who are taking $8,000 worth of horseflesh to the garrison of an unidentified island under military rule. Comandante George Douglas is milking the natives, while Renaldo and his band are fighting back for the benefit of the people.

Renaldo and the two Yanks become friendly after he steals the latters’ horses and there’s a knock-down fight in which he gets worsted. Horses are returned and money paid over by the comandante on delivery but Douglas’ soldiers waylay the Americans and steal it back. Livingston, Hatton and Renaldo then band together and succeed in not only retrieving the coin, but ridding the country of the villain.

A ‘Lone Ranger’ touch is injected into the film by togging Livingston for several sequences in the mask in which he played the Ranger in the serials which Rep was making last year. He’s also set astride Silver to accomplish his good turns.

Jacqueline Wells satisfactorily handles the lead femme role, which doesn’t amount to much, no love interest being interjected to spoil the hard riding. Ruth Robinson is given a rather heavy character part as one of the downtrodden natives, but mugs it too much to score. That’s partially due, however, to the trite lines handed her.

George Sherman’s direction keeps the film fast-moving as a whole, but studded with minute letdowns. That seems due to the characters frequently lacking lines to speak when innocuous action is taking place and an oral fillip is needed for the blanks.

Motion Picture Herald, October 21, 1939: Republic’s Three Mesquiteers--here Robert Livingston, Raymond Hatton and Duncan Renaldo--restore justice to the inhabitants of a Caribbean island in the actionful ‘The Kansas Terrors’. Livingston, a member of the Mesquiteers when it was originated in 1937, is Stony Brooke, a Kansas cowboy bringing a shipment of horses to a small island. Accompanying him is Rusty Joslin (Hatton). Traveling to the barracks the two Americans are set upon by a band of outlaws led by Renaldo.

Renaldo reveals that the comandante has been using his power to oppress the people by taxing them far beyond their ability to pay, then jailing them or taking their goods.

The governor is shot to death while Stony, masked, is talking with him. The governor’s daughter believes the Masked Rider responsible, and causes the capture of Renaldo. When he is doomed to the firing squad, the girl informs the Americans, and is imprisoned. Her release and Renaldo’s rescue are effected by Stony and Rusty.

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