Hot Lead

Tim Holt and Chico are cowpokes working for a lady rancher played by the lovely Joan Dixon, and end up helping an ex-con who is being used by his former acquaintances to help them rob a gold train. Plenty of galloping chases, shoots-out within a pacy and complicated plot. The bad guy's scheme is a bit far fetched, but this is fiction after all and fine entertainment. Love the interplay between Holt and sidekick, which is one of the appeal of the series. There's also a touch of romance between the Ex-con and the lady rancher.

Tim Holt plays.... Tim Holt! In yet another western. ex-con Collins (Ross Elliott) gets caught up with his old cronies who want to take advantage of his telegraph skills for an upcoming robbery. the usual fare... lots of galloping, shootouts, good cowboys versus bad cowboys. seems to have been filmed up in Newhall California, before it was turned into condos. Holt is the good guy, who sets a trap to catch the bad guys. The girl is played by Joan Dixon, who only made ten films in the 1950s. that was pretty much her career, with some television work thrown in. Richard Martin is "Chito" (again), and worked with Holt in many a film. It's all okay. Nothing too special. Directed by Stuart Gilmore, who actually WAS born in Tombstone Arizoney. and oddly, all THREE of his oscar nominations were for film editing. imdb says he only actually directed five films, and this was his second. Shows occasionally on Turner Classics. not bad.

What a likable cowboy teaming Holt and Martin made. Their chemistry is easy and amusing. I've got to hand it to Holt that, as the lead, he accepted a taller and handsomer sidekick, a definite departure from the matinée formula. The 60-minutes is pretty standard. The plot's more complicated than usual. Tim and Chito are trying to help rehabilitate ex-con Dave (Elliott), at the same time the baddies are trying to shanghai Dave's telegraphy skills in order to rob a gold shipment. Meanwhile leading lady Dixon holds down the farm, hoping Dave can stay out of jail. Filmed in the familiar San Fernando Valley, there's not much scenery to look at. Still, there's some good hard riding and a couple minor plot twists. Watch for two great TV stalwarts—Dehner and Wilke—as the bad guys. I hope there's a place in Hollywood heaven for their unsung like. Anyway, it's an undemanding hour, with some snappy exchanges between our two heroes.

A "6" on the Matinée Scale

The only good thing about this one is the Holt and Martin interactions. The rest of it is just unbelievably silly. The sheriff and bad guys are so so stupid.

Tim Holt and Richard Martin are riding the range again as cowpunchers for Joan Dixon's ranch when they rescue Ross Elliott who was kidnapped off a stagecoach by his old outlaw running buddies.

The outlaw boss John Dehner has a scheme where they need the skills of a telegrapher which Elliott was before doing a stretch in prison for helping Dehner's gang. They want him back.

I always enjoy Tim and Chito in their films, but this one had such a wild far fetched scheme behind it that I just found the whole thing ridiculous.

Tim Holt and Richard Martin came up short here.