Movie Review: Private Property (1960)

Private Property written and directed by Leslie Stevens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A disturbing psychological thriller neo noir about two drifters, a smooth talking lothario and his halfwit and virginal partner Boots (played by a very young Warren Oates), plotting to seduce a beautiful and unhappily married woman. The disturbing thing is that the charmer intends to get the woman in bed then pull a switch-roo so his partner can finally get laid. The script is terrific detailing the machinations of lothario Duke, played perfectly by Corey Allen, and his methodical attempt to seduce an unwilling married woman. A bit too sexy for its time it was banned and censored and then lost for decades. It may be a low-budget B-movie but the direction, cinematography, and performances are all superb. An easy four stars and highly recommended.

Available to stream for free (with commercials) on Tubi.

Movie Review: Range War (1938)

William Boyd

Not really a range war per se, but rather a greedy land baron trying to sabotage railroad construction that threatens his toll range business model. There's no Gabby Hayes or Andy Clyde here, just horndog Lucky Jenkins and Speedy, a fella that talks slow and who provides some comic relief. Hoppy is engaged by the railroad to track down the bandits that have been stealing the payroll and no surprise, they are under the auspices of the greedy land baron. Like all Hopalong Cassidy movies this one is fun and entertaining, and perhaps more a little more violent than most.

The Durango Kid - The Fighting Frontiersman (1946)

An okay B-Western that doesn't compare very favorably with the Roy Rogers or Hopalong Cassidy films. Grizzled prospector named Cimmaron stumbles upon the long lost Santa Ana's treasures then blows it by tipping off a saloon girl named Trixie who then tips off a gang of criminals that kidnap Cimmaron and hold him hostage until he spills the beans about where the treasure is hidden. Trixie then inexplicably sends a note to Ranger Steve Reynolds, played by Charles Starrett, and his sidekick Smiley Burnette, oddly played by an actor by the same name, to rescue Cimmaron. Steve has a secret identity of the Durango Kid and during his rescue attempt he changes into a Durango Kid outfit and pretty much continues what he’s been doing. Not sure why he feels he needs an inconvenient secret identity. I could have done with less musical numbers, less wooden acting from Starrett, and less of the stooge-like antics of Smiley.

Movie Review: Hopalong Cassidy Returns (1936)

William Boyd

One-legged miner, aptly named Peg Leg, finds gold but before he can stake a claim he is is killed by the criminals that run the lawless town. Windy is working for the town newspaper for some reason and he and the publisher call Hoppy in as the new sheriff to tame the lawless town. Hotheaded Johnny has left the series and seems to be replaced by Buddy, Hoppy's goofy tenderfoot nephew. Another fine entry in the series with a truly terrifying gunslinger outlaw named Blackie, and an unexpected budding romance between Hoppy and the villainous woman Lily that owns the saloon. I liked this one a lot.

Movie Review: Call of the Prairie (1936)

During Hoppy's absence hotheaded Johnny creates a another fine mess when he falls in with a group of outlaws led by a guy named Porter who proceed to frame Johnny for a shooting and a robbery. Gabby Hayes plays one of the outlaws called "Shanghai", which seemed really weird since he was introduced as Windy in the previous movie, who has a daughter that doesn't realize that her father is an outlaw and she of course falls for handsome Johnny. The outlaws then rob the town bank and Hoppy has to solve the crime, apprehend the outlaws, and try to clear Johnny's name. Enjoyable enough Cassidy flick. Seems like Hopalong should be getting pretty weary of Johnny's penchant for causing catastrophes by now.

Movie Review: Bar 20 Rides Again (1935)

An outlaw boss they call "Nevada", a.k.a. Mr. Perdue, has not only been hitting on Johnny's girl Margaret, but also rustling her father's cattle. Cassidy receives a message to help, but before him and Red can leave, the hotheaded Johnny heads alone out to win Margaret back. Hoppy poses as a gambler to infiltrate the outlaws and runs into a grizzled old windbag that he nicknames Windy. The four of them team up to battle the outlaws in an exciting climax. Another fine Hopalong Cassidy film, and an important one since it introduces George (Gabby) Hayes as Windy.

Movie Review: The Eagle's Brood (1935)

The second film in the long running Hopalong Cassidy series is a really good one. It tells the story of little Pablo, the grandson of the notorious bandit El Toro. Pablo is being hunted by the outlaws that killed his parents in a robbery and is being hidden from them by a saloon dancer. El Toro conveniently saves Cassidy's life and in return Hoppy vows to find and return Pablo to him. Nicely plotted with a surprising number of disturbing deaths, a fair amount of gunplay, and an exciting fistfight, this entry is less juvenile than some of the latter films and is highly recommended for fans of old B-movie westerns.

Here is a link to the IMDb page