Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

GarnettTeenage The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

Phillida Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

JohnHowardReid Copyright 11 December 1942 by United Artists Production, Inc. Presented by Harry Sherman. Released through United Artists. U.S. release: 2 April 1943. Australian release: 24 June 1943. Sydney release at the Civic: 18 June 1943. 5,927 feet. 66 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Silver-mine operator uses Mexicans for slave labor. NOTES: Mitchum's first film. Number 47 (as released) in the Hoppy series. Location in Kernville, California. Negative cost: $87,285.09. Worldwide Rental Gross: $132,406.23. These fascinating figures are taken from LESLEY SELANDER: A film Checklist by Karl Thiede in Close Up: The Contract Director edited by Jon Tuska (The Scarecrow Press, Metuchen, N.J., 1976). The gross of course is that of the film's initial release. Sherman abandoned the series when costs overtook the gross. On Lumberjack (1944), WWG of $115,389.25 falls well short of a negative cost of $117,402.22.COMMENT: Although he can be glimpsed in several scenes, Mitchum does not make much of an impression in his first film. Nonetheless, it's one of the classier entries in the series with sold solid action material vigorously directed by Lesley Selander from a script by none other than Michael Wilson (Five Fingers, A Place in the Sun, Friendly Persuasion, Bridge on the River Kwai, Planet of the Apes, etc.).The support players led by Russell Simpson are an interesting and appealing bunch. Music and photography are also well above standard. A full list of Mitchum's Hoppy bits can be found on IMDb. See also "Hoppy Serves a Writ" and "Colt Comrades".

classicsoncall If only the Hoppy line in my summary statement applied to our border patrol guys today. Times sure change don't they? Today they have to process the paper work.Well this time out, Hoppy and his sidekicks California (Andy Clyde) and Johnny (Jay Kirby) are Texas Rangers investigating the disappearance of laborers from south of the border. They have the unique distinction of getting arrested twice in the same picture, something I don't think I've ever seen before. The thought just came to me that it was too bad that Hoppy wasn't a singing cowboy like his contemporaries Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. When they wound up in jail they would take advantage of the situation by singing a song. Heck, even Ricky Nelson did it in "Rio Bravo".For old time Western movie fans, this one's a treasure trove for familiar faces who went on to bigger and better things. Robert Mitchum was still going by 'Bob' when this picture was made, and future Cisco Kid Duncan Renaldo is on hand as a Mexican Commandante. But the best is George Reeves in the role of a Mexican laborer in love with the film's heroine Senorita Inez La Barca (Claudia Drake). He's not on screen very much, and forgive me for saying so because I like the guy, but every time he's on it's hilarious. His Spanish accent is tortured and the pencil thin mustache is killer. You really have to see him to appreciate it.Say, check out that scene in the early going when Hoppy lassos an outlaw's feet some twenty feet above him on a giant boulder. Anyone think that's actually possible? If so, you'll really love the scene when the senorita smuggles a gun into jail for the boys, it's hidden in a pot of beans with bullets concealed in the tacos. Too bad about Mitchum though, Hoppy drilled him in the final shootout. We never find out what he thought about being called a two-bit gunman.

zeppo-2 A number of Hoppy films revolve around a mining background, they sure wanted to get their money's worth out of that particular mine setting! This time it's a crook who is using forced labour to run his mine.Hoppy tracks missing Mexican labourers to both the mine and town that is ruled by the elaborately named villain, Orestes Krebs.Framed by Krebs as both judge, jury and executioner, Hoppy, California and Johnny are sentenced to hang. Initially suspected to be outlaws by the leading lady, Claudia Drake as Inez, (a common occurrence it seems for Hoppy and his companions), she does however see the light and helps the friends to clean up the whole crooked town.A fairly lightweight entry in the series, with enough action and story to keep things bubbling to the end. Krebs makes a suitable evil schemer, who doesn't know when he's beaten and Hoppy gets plenty of opportunity to use his patented steely gaze at the proceedings.

wrbtu Hoppy, California, & Johnny are all Texas Rangers (I guess they had very loose hiring criteria if California got in!). Hoppy's dressed in all black throughout the film (this is important to those of us who know that his black outfit signifies "he means business" & his rancher's & other outfits signify "he's only fooling around & trying to act like someone other than "Hoppy"). The setting is Silver Bullet, Texas, & no, The Lone Ranger is not in this movie, although practically everyone else is! George Reeves (Superman) is here; he plays a Mexican & is on screen for only a few moments. Duncan Renaldo (The Cisco Kid) is here, & has a nice role as a Mexican police commandant. Robert Mitchum plays his usual (for his early days in the westerns) baddie. Claudia Drake actually has a more significant role in the film than anyone other than Hoppy himself. There's good action (4 gunfights), good humorous situations, & overall it's quite nicely done, with good production values. I rate it 8/10.