Pirates on Horseback

Hoppy and the boys are out to take back Trudy Pendleton's mine after it was taken from her. After they find the mine, Hoppy gets into a fight with gambler Ace Gibson.

The most stupidest thing a prospector (who happens to be California's cousin) does is proclaiming to all and sundry in the saloon that he found gold and then proceeds to tell the villain ( Morris Ankrum) that he won't tell anyone where it is! What a thickhead! Next minute he is shot after putting up a fight but stashes his claim in a book - not the best place to hide it but the Ankrum's thugs don't look in there during the search. But Hoppy finds it and try to prevent Ankrum from getting the claim, but Ankrum is one slippery character and convinces the niece that Hoppy and co. Are the bad guys - there's the usual quota of fast-galloping, schemes and exciting gunplay. Energy simmers through out. A good addition to the long running series.

To me this was one of the worst, most disappointing Hoppy films. Andy Clyde's never ending comic dialog was childish, unfunny and excruciating. There was hardly any action in the film, save a shoot-out at the cabin near the start of the movie.

The plot was also a big nothing: at the end of the film, bad guy Morris Ankrum gets angry when the heroine won't sell her mine to him. He starts to manhandle her, and Hoppy rescues her. That's it! Not much of a crime to jail him for.

The only fairly interesting and clever thing in the movie was the mysterious clue left behind by the killed miner ("eagle will show way to mine at sundown") and Hoppy's unraveling of it.

As one reviewer pointed out, the title "Pirates on Horseback" has nothing to do with the movie. It also implies action which the film sorely lacks. The bad guy is merely a crooked gambler and conman, some pirate on horseback!

Aces all around except for the rather tame climax. Credit producer Harry Sherman for the general superiority of the Hoppy matinees. Here, he pops for scenic Lone Pine locations, expertly filmed by Harry Stradling— hard to beat that desert-mountain-big rock combination. Hoppy and the boys are trying to find a lost gold mine before the baddies led by the sneaky Ace Gibson (Ankrum) do.

Note the movie's many extra touches—the well-staffed barroom, the busy street, the detailed shack interior. These show attention to background unusual for programmers. Also, catch that expensive line of gold-rushers heading for the mine, though the scene appears shot in the cost-saving LA area.

For me, the scariest part is when the oily Ace looks like he's getting romantic with the winsome heroine (Stewart). Now, in his stellar career, the lordly Ankrum defeated A-bomb mutants, aliens from outer space, commanded armies, advised presidents, and also made a convincing baddie. But for some reason, the thought of his snuggling up to the girl ran a shudder right through me.

Hard to say enough about Bill Boyd in his Hoppy role. He's easily the most charming and affable of the matinée heroes, but can also do the hard-eyed stare when necessary-- as he does here. He, Clyde, and Hayden make a winning team, as their amusing fireside byplay shows. Anyway, there's enough hard- riding, straight-shooting, and story interest to make this a generally superior Hoppy entry.

"Pirates on Horseback" is available to see on YouTube. And, like so many of the Hopalong Cassidy films posted there, it's the original version--not the edited for television version from the 1950s. Additionally, the print is pristine and simply looks great.

When this story begins, an old prospector comes to town. He's discovered the lost Eldorado Mine but hasn't got the common sense to keep this to himself. Instead, he blabs in the saloon...and like nearly ALL Hopalong Cassidy films, this means the local baddie and his gang will soon take action. However, when they attack the old guy, they end up killing him...and the secret goes with him. They search his place from top to bottom....and they find nothing telling them about the mine.

A bit later, Trudy arrives in town, as she's the prospector's nearest relative. On the stage into town, she spends time with the oily baddie responsible for the prospector's death...but she thinks he's a sweet guy. Later, when she meets up with California (who is also a relative), Hoppy and Lucky, she befriends them as well. Now for much of the rest of the film, the trio help her look for the lost mine...and they show consistently that they are her friends. Yet, when the oily baddie makes up some evidence that is easy to refute, she instantly assumes California and his friends are evil piggies. And, she lets the oily baddie and his men 'help her'. Of course, they are about to rob her blind and possibly kill her. Can California and his friends save her? And, after the way she treats them, should they even bother?!

This is just an okay installment of the Hopalong Cassidy franchise. It has the familiar slimy boss-man you'd find in nearly all the films but the utter stupidity of Trudy is really hard to believe...and appears due to poor writing. Not a bad film but it could have been better.

Britt Wood who was a sidekick of Hopalong Cassidy for a few films makes a return to the series in Pirates On Horseback. But it's only a brief return as Wood is killed for the location of his hidden gold mine.

The location of which is something that Eleanor Stewart his niece would also like to know. The only clue is a cryptic message left by Wood that Hoppy, Johnny, and California have a time getting a hold of.

Sad to say for our cowboy hero he and the sidekicks have to tell a white lie to get dealt in on this game. Andy Clyd pretends he's a relative. When they're caught at it by the real villain, smooth gambler Morris Ankrum it's almost the end.

The cryptic clue is something along the lines that both Glenn Ford and William Prince were trying to decipher in Lust For Gold. Let's say Hoppy had better success.

Hoppy fans will like this.