I bought this film because a book I read stated that it was the first
film that was important in the development of the "Gabby" (George)
Hayes character who was so enjoyable in the Hopalong Cassidy &
Roy Rogers (& others) films of the 1930s & 1940s. Hayes here
plays a character named "Dusty." He has a scruffy, grizzled look,
but doesn't yet have the beard that came later. Hayes has the
same voice & intonation as he used later, but engages in none of
the comedic antics that where such a big part of his "Gabby"
character. Is it a coincidence that John Wayne rides a white horse,
wears a big 10 gallon black hat & black shirt, & has the same
sidekick as Hopalong Cassidy did, all two years before Hoppy got
started in the movies? The Hopalong Cassidy movie character
seems to bear more resemblance to John Wayne in this movie
than he does to the Hoppy character as portrayed in the Clarence
Mulford books! Blooper: John Wayne's kid brother calls him "Dad"
in one scene! This is an enjoyable film, especially if you like Gabby
Hayes. What ruined it for me was a new soundtrack (basically,
swirling organ music) that was unnecessary & detracted from the
movie. I have the SONY release, copyrighted 1985 by Fox/Lorber,
so beware of that version if you like your old movies to be
unadulterated, as I do.