In Old Mexico

It's the girls (Clayton & Amann) getting most of the screentime until the bang-up finale. Seems an outlaw, The Fox, lures Hoppy down Mexico way to exact revenge for sending him up in the good ole USA. Now our three heroes have to avoid traps The Fox and his sister lay for them. To me, it's just an okay Hoppy. I could use more antics from Windy and more action. Nonetheless, the girls are cute even if devious, the desert horizon is dramatic, and Boyd's an effective blend of charm and toughness. Then there's an unexpected twist with Windy and a long ride. Also, the main gunman is Glenn Strange familiar as Sam the bartender from the classic Gunsmoke series. All in all, it's an easy hour without being anything special Hoppy-wise.

When the episode begins, Hopalong arrives in Mexico at the home of Colonel Gonzalez, as he received a note from Gonzalez saying he wanted to meet him there. However, the note is fake...and at the same time, Gonzalez received word that Hoppy wanted to meet him...in the desert! However, they both are being manipulated by Zorro, 'the Fox', a bandit that Gonzalez and Cassidy sent to prison some time ago. But Zorro has escaped and now wants to kill both these men...and he soon dispatches Gonzalez. What no one realizes is that Zorro's evil sister is staying with the Gonzalez family....and she is trying to seduce Cassidy in order to maneuver him into harm's way.

This is a good but not great movie. Much of it is because both Cassidy's buddy, Lucky AND the Colonel's sister, Anita, are incredibly stupid characters...too stupid. As a result, Hoppy not only has to solve the crime but keep these two from getting killed in the process! Still, enjoyable and an amiable time passer.

"The Fox" (Paul Sutton) is out for revenge and lures Hoppy across the border via a letter from an old friend into Mexico. Hoppy finds that his friend has been murdered and had left a partial message written in the sand, "Zorro", Spanish for Fox. Hoppy, who had captured "The Fox" in "Borderland", whilst working undercover for both the U.S. and Mexican governments; the Fox had been leading raids on both sides of the border.

Morris Ankrum aka Stephen Morris played "The Fox" in "Borderland". Paul Sutton does a fine job as "The Fox"; but for the sake of continuity I would have preferred Morris Ankrum in the role.

This one is a little more violent than the majority of "Hoppy" pictures but not unnecessarily so, it also has the benefit of a good plot and the story moves along nicely; and "Hoppy", "Lucky" (Russell Hayden) and "Windy" (George "Gabby" Hayes) are in fine form as are the rest of the cast. Highly recommended. See Borderland first, if you can.

Straightforward "Hoppy" fare of revenge and murder across the border, with pals Lucky and Windy along for the ride. Some feminine treachery puts a twist on the plot, and seeing Jan (Jane) Clayton of much later "Lassie" TV fame as singing and shooting "Anita", is fun. She married Russell Hayden (Lucky) the year this was made.

Escaped criminal "The Fox" hates Hoppy and a Rurales colonel for imprisoning him and lures Cassidy to Mexico in order to exact his vengeance in a good Hoppy western brimming with the usual scenic splendour, humour ( A big mama takes a shine to Gabby Hayes) and a menacing villain. There's a good twist regarding there being bad one in the hacienda. That's the Fox's sister. Not a great Hoppy but it's good enough to enjoy.