Colorado Ranger

This 1950 western film features former Hopalong Cassidy sidekicks Jimmy Ellison & Russ Hayden as lawmen hired to nail a couple of crooked galloots terrorizing a community. With the help of Raymond Hatton, they face violent retaliation with fierce determination. Hatton's role as the Colonel was a highlight of the film.

The three leads work well together and the film is fairly interesting with a decent supporting cast (including the prolific George Chesboro). Despite the low budget and familiar plot, i enjoyed seeing these familiar faces in a film together.

While not a classic, B-western fans will find this one worth a look.

This particular Lippert Picture has the look and feel of an old Three Mesquiteers western from Republic. Especially since Raymond Hatton was a Mesquiteer for a couple of films in the series back in the day. Also James Ellison and Russell Hayden as cowboy sidekicks to Hopalong Cassidy knew what it was like to be part of a cowboy hero trio.

All three are Colorado Rangers and all three are assigned to break up a gang terrorizing the homesteaders in a certain locale. Things are complicated when the three are mistaken for outlaws and hired by the sheriff himself who is crooked to chase out one particular homestead, that of Julie Adams.

Colorado Ranger like a Three Mesquiteer movie is laced with a bit of humor to leaven the gunplay and there's a running joke that is finally cleared up in the end. All I can say is the Colorado Rangers have an interesting way of assigning cases.