Hoppy wears his tan rancher's outfit throughout the film, so we know right off that this isn't going to be a great Hoppy movie. But it is very good, especially for a late entry in the series (this is one of the very last Hoppy films). Trivia section: Elaine Riley is prettier & a better actress than most of the young heroines in the Hoppy series (who were always present to give Lucky or Johnny or whatever young sidekick a mild love interest); she appeared in 5 Hoppy movies, from 1946-48; I was surprised to learn (on imdb) that she's English, she doesn't have the slightest trace of an English accent. We learn that California's real name is "Clarence" (Carlson). We learn that the Big Dome Saloon, in Spring City, offers "free lunches." We learn that in keeping with his wholesome image, Hoppy "never touches" cigars. The silver mine/crooked Westerners vs. naive Easterners plot is interesting, with some turns & several nice touches. There are a couple of obvious gaffs, including Hoppy firing a shot back at his own men during a horse chase (no baddies are even visible around the bend); 5 baddies push a flat lying boulder that must weigh half a ton; & not to be outdone, Hoppy lifts a mine girder that must weigh several hundred pounds! Overall well-done & enjoyable, with three gunfights & good action scenes. I rate it 7/10.
