Copyright 18 August 1952 by Columbia Pictures Corp. U.S. release: 19 August 1952. No New York opening. 55 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Jack Mahoney plays himself because the writer simply identified the character as one that Jack could adequately fill, since he was Starrett's double and would be hanging around the set anyway. It was assumed that the director would change the name, but this didn't happen. The movie was shot so fast, there just wasn't time! Anyway, our Jack is charged with murder, but Steve Reynolds proves that the real guilty party is none other than...
COMMENT: Starrett's 132nd western and the last of his 166 movies, turns out to be one of the more exciting of the 1950's Durango Kids - inventively directed by Sears at his best and attractively photographed. However, it should be noted that all the flashback material (in which Helen Mowery appears) is lifted from a previous entry, The Fighting Frontiersman (1941).
Admittedly, the murder mystery, such as it is, rates as strictly kiddies' matinee stuff, and even at 55 minutes it doesn't arouse all that much interest. On the other hand, the cast is agreeable. The burdensome Smiley Burnette has a smaller role than usual and is allowed only the one song - "It's the Law" - but it too is quite imaginatively handled. Slick film editing is also a major asset.
SYNOPSIS: Jack Mahoney plays himself because the writer simply identified the character as one that Jack could adequately fill, since he was Starrett's double and would be hanging around the set anyway. It was assumed that the director would change the name, but this didn't happen. The movie was shot so fast, there just wasn't time! Anyway, our Jack is charged with murder, but Steve Reynolds proves that the real guilty party is none other than...
COMMENT: Starrett's 132nd western and the last of his 166 movies, turns out to be one of the more exciting of the 1950's Durango Kids - inventively directed by Sears at his best and attractively photographed. However, it should be noted that all the flashback material (in which Helen Mowery appears) is lifted from a previous entry, The Fighting Frontiersman (1941).
Admittedly, the murder mystery, such as it is, rates as strictly kiddies' matinee stuff, and even at 55 minutes it doesn't arouse all that much interest. On the other hand, the cast is agreeable. The burdensome Smiley Burnette has a smaller role than usual and is allowed only the one song - "It's the Law" - but it too is quite imaginatively handled. Slick film editing is also a major asset.