The Kid's Last Ride

As with a number of western films put out in this time period, it was made for the Saturday Matinee to entertain the young people. Since there was no television at the time, movie houses wanted something new each week to get the kids in the theater and turn some kind of profit. These type of films would be shown in a double or triple feature so they needed to be made quickly and as cheaply as possible. Thus, providing the movie house with revenue.

Even though this film is dated, it actually had a interesting plot that is missing from so many of the 'poverty row' western movies. When the Ranger Busters ride into town, they are recruited as lawmen. In the town they have some villains trying to get a teenager in trouble with the law all because of a hanging that happen some time back. These villains, led by Glen Strange, trying to get the young man, Jimmy, to live their life of lawlessness but are actually setting Jimmy up for a fall. And not just any fall, but one that revenge will be returned for the hanging of one of the villain's buddies.

Everything in the film looked to be going well- but when the songs were introduced, the viewer was made aware that this film was made for teenagers. It was bad enough that one of the Busters, Alibi (Max Terhune) has a puppet named Elmer riding around with him. Then when a song breaks out, Elmer has some of the lines in the song. Egad!

For a 'B' western movie this was not too bad. It did have the lovely Luana Walters in the picture that is always a treat for any viewer. But one cannot get past the fact that, poor lighting, questionable sound and previously recorded song tracks - made this movie seem poorly made. But I am sure that in early 1941, before the outbreak of war, this film entertained many a young man sitting in a dark theater on Saturday afternoon.