The Frontiersmen

Rather tame Hoppy western. Action doesn't pick up til the end. It's more a personality plot than the usual hard riding, fast shooting. Seems the kids need a new teacher at their frontier school. Of all things, the boys war-danced around and hog-tied their old teacher, a mean old biddy. That scene alone may be worth tuning in. And leading the kids is young Artie (Jones), a little hellion that Hoppy knows needs civilizing. So who comes in from the East to take over the classroom and Artie but the delicately winsome June (Venable). She's like Cinderella taking over from the wicked witch of the east. Right away all the guys go nuts over her girlish good looks including Lucky and Windy. Meanwhile throw in a rustler sub-plot led by town baddie Raleigh (Hughes). So, who will June end up with, and will little Artie get civilized, then too, will the rustlers succeed (fat chance).

The boys choir that makes up the schoolroom class is excellent with an iconic song selection, while Hoppy's winning as usual, and bow-legged Gabby gets the laughs. All in all, the 73-minutes is a matter of taste for fans of matinee westerns. It's a decided departure from the norm, but with entertaining features of its own.

William Boyd had no use for singing cowboys and tried to minimize the music in the Hopalong Cassidy movies every chance he got. He lost the battle in this flick. The Brendan Boys choir sing their little hearts out.

I am in perfect agreement with Mr. Boyd. But after you get passed the singing, this movie is a rollicking adventure even if the rustler plot has been done to death. There is a even slight twist to the proceedings that is somewhat of a surprise.

However, it isn't the fate of the Bar 20 cattle that holds your attention here. It's the fun that the three heroes (Hoppy, Windy, and Lucky) have competing for the affections of the new schoolmarm that steal the show. Don't pass up the chance to see Hoppy in an apron and Windy slicked up to go a courtin'.

The three previous critics have given an excellent idea of how different this is from the typical B western, including most of the Hopalong Cassidy westerns. The most improbable feature is the superb singing of the boys choir in a frontier one-room schoolhouse, and, as noted by others, we get lots of it. I have one quibble with one of the other reviews. This is not by any means the closest Hoppy came to becoming romantically involved with the leading lady -- it happened rather often in the 1930s films. It is unusual in having both Lucky (Russell Hayden) and Windy (George Hayes -- not yet Gabby) courting the adorable young school teacher, and, indeed. all the men of the Bar 20 Ranch are interested in her. Most of this movie is pleasant, folksy light comedy -- good-hearted fun. I liked it quite a lot, so rate it 8 out of a possible ten. But this is not a typical Hopalong Cassidy western!

Yes it's true, this isn't your typical Hoppy western, but that alone makes it a breath of fresh air, part comedy, part action. William Boyd's star power as Hopalong Cassidy carries much of the film as always, but good turns by Russell Hayden and Gabby Hayes also make good viewing, Evelyn Venables is one of the loveliest of female leads, and young Dickie Jones, the future 'Buffalo Bill Jnr,' is quite endearing and not too brattish! I can't believe that Boyd hated kids and horses and was hard to get along with, everything I've read about him suggests otherwise!

Lots of light comedy, most of it funny. Lots of choral singing (5 songs are far too much for this to be an effective western). Hoppy uses a stereoscope. Little action, lots of talk. There is one great exchange between Hoppy & Windy involving Windy's feelings towards women. Hoppy's good natured charm & philosophy towards raising children "properly" is much in evidence here, something that would become a regular feature on his late 1940s TV show. But overall, too little plot, too little action. I give it 5/10.