Partners of the Trail

Kate Hilton, returning to her ranch in Springfield via stagecoach after learning of the murder of her father, meets U. S. Marshal Nevada Jack McKenzie. The stage is held up and robbed of the rancher's money, but Nevada manages to bring it in after the driver has been killed. Sandy Hopkins, also a U. S. Marshal, is posing as a cook at the only café in town. Joel Edwards now running the Wells Fargo office after Hilton was killed, and Kate are in love. J. D. Edwards, president of the land-and-cattle company, and step-father to Joel, controls all the interest in Springfield. A number of citizens have been killed for no apparent reason, and Doctor Applegate has sent for Nevada and Sandy to solve the mystery killings. Applegate is killed after he returns from a prospecting trip, but not before he has deposited some of the gold he found in the Wells Fargo safe. J. D. Edwards, in reality the gang leader, means to acquire the property containing the gold that Hilton, originally, and Applegate later found. Nevada and Sandy learn of the location in time to keep the ranchers from selling to Edwards. The latter tries to shoot Nevada, but Will he succeed? You have to watch and find out!

Johnny Mack Brown has this easy going persona that literally puts you at ease and Raymond Hatton as the sidekick is sharp but still funny, and it's these two to that make these westerns watchable. Here is a routine entry with the right modicum of action and plot twists to make it a pleasant watch.

Several murders occur in his community and the town doctor Lloyd Ingraham sends for the US Marshals. Both Johnny Mack Brown and Raymond Hatton arrive separate, Hatton earlier when he purchases a chop suey joint owned by a Chinese immigrant who was one of the victims.

It seems as though a big old vein of gold runs through several properties and the villain and he's pretty easy to spot even before he reveals himself wants those properties. By the amount of ranchers concerned Fort Knox ought to close up shop and the Treasury should just open up there.

Both marshals are incognito and are better able to operate that way, especially after Ingraham is murdered. Of course the bad guys are rounded up.

Special recognition should go to Hal Price who graduated from the Keystone Academy of rural law enforcement. Price is the thick as a brick town sheriff who needs all the help he can get from Brown and Hatton as he was born clueless and has kept it pure all his life.

Partners Of The Trail is one of the series of films Johnny Mack Brown made for Monogram at this time as US Marshals Nevada John McKenzie and his sidekick Marshal Sandy Hopkins. This one still holds up well for western fans.

B-westerns generally have two or three different plots...with variations on them. In "Partners of the Trail", a local 'nice guy' is actually the leader of a vicious, murderous gang. When Marshals Nevada McKenzie and Sandy Hopkins (Johnny Mack Brown and Raymond Hatton) come to this town, they both arrive incognito. Soon it's obvious that the deputy is as bad a crook as you could ever find...and the sheriff is either a total incompetent or he's in on it as well. So it's up to the Marshals to determine who is behind it and why...why all the killings and terror?

This is pretty typical of a Johnny Mack Brown film...plenty of action, an easygoing leading man and no singing or pretty boy cowboys. And, unlike some B-cowboys, this one has a competent sidekick (Hatton)! While never brilliant, it is well made and worth seeing if you love the genre.