The David Sharpe “era” continues, as Trail Riders puts him halfway through his tenure. Too bad, after the shot of relative adrenaline that was Texas to Bataan, that Trail Riders leaves me more thoroughly uninspired than anything this franchise has yet offered – it’s been mostly a slow draining of enthusiasm (or content to write about) throughout, which will likely prove a common problem for many a series.
So what can be said of Trail Riders? Well, it is really generic, just the guys up against the usual band of ruffians, with the same plot developments, love interest, action sequences and resolutions as always. The one notable thing about it is David Sharpe, and even he isn’t new! But I can at least say my peace about his performance, as I’m no longer being distracted by Nazis: Sharpe is…he’s mediocre. He fits this film perfectly. He’s young, very young, and does good stunts (Sharpe was a stuntman foremost), and does not sing. There’s not much he can offer The Range Busters until the long-delayed return of Ray Corrigan (never thought I’d miss that guy). Sigh.
Well, let’s be quick about this nonsense, because I’ll only regain my interest in this franchise by purging myself of Trail Riders – zzzzzzzzzzzz…
Explosions! The crime today: bank robbery. Sure, I guess we haven’t seen that one in…like, a few days. Again, the bank manager is secretly orchestrating these robberies, and even kills the Marshal of Gila Springs in the process. This leaves the Marshal’s father with but one option: call in the Range Busters - zzzzzzzzzzzz…
It doesn’t help my stupor that the Range Busters themselves are simply trying to sleep their way through this entry too. Well, “Dusty” King (himself) is. “Alibi” Terhune (himself) is more keen on making animal noises all day long, something I ceased doing when I was 4, aided by his murderous death doll Elmer Sneezeweed (itself). So word makes it to the trio via telegram that Gila Springs is under assault by - zzzzzzzzzzzz…
…
Zzzzzzzzzzzz…
Wazzat! You mean they built an actual Old West town set! That was one of my chief complaints about this whole series, that Corriganville was lacking for the one thing all westerns need the most. Well, it seems Ray Corrigan, in his self-imposed exile, oversaw that one glowing defect in his movie ranch, because there’s now an actual Main Street!
The Range Busters ride into town and - zzzzzzzzzzzz…
They are thrown out! Seems the bad guy’s goons (the bad guy, for what it’s worth, is Ed Cole – Charles King) don’t want no heroes in their - zzzzzzzzzzzz…
Man, that guy’s FAT!
The Range Busters are busy riding back home, again saying “Screw it” to this entry, same as me, when…
Suddenly Clara Clayton (Mary Steenburgen) is trapped upon a runaway buckboard, which is clear on its way towards Shonash Ravine – or is it Clayton Ravine – or maybe Eastwood Ravine…Wait, that’s Back to the Future Part III, which I really wish I was writing about. Actually, the gal’s Mary Rand (Evelyn Finley), but the situation is pretty much just the same. So the Doc and Marty – excuse me, the Range Busters [sigh!] ride to save Mary as – zzzzzzzzzzzz…
Horse chase # 1 – zzzzzzzzzzzz…
Only she wasn’t in danger, just drivin’ her buckboard all fast-like, just like those heathen 1942 teened-agers and their dagblasted jalopies. And she’s mad at the Range Busters for their attempted aid, so…Dusty and Alibi are arrested by that fat, fat man, because this series has grown desperate enough for a plot that it’s just having its good guys mistaken for bad guys entirely without justification or logic (see also Arizona Stage Coach). Davy (Sharpe) is not arrested though, ‘cause this series is swiftly evolving into “Three’s Company,” but rather rides home with Mary in order to romanc- zzzzzzzzzzzz…
Horse chase # 2 – zzzzzzzzzzzz… (Also, it’s just the same music, and the same shots mirrored – 나락에 신 제기랄 모두!)
Plot? What plot? Bank robbers who? Shut up, you ASS, Dusty’s singin’! It’s “Oh, Suzannah,” even, that old public domain standard about having come from Alabama, a banjo resting upon the singer’s knee the whole time. In what passes for creativity, per this sub-sub-sub-sub-Bubsy Berkeley nonsense, there is indeed a banjo on Dusty’s knee while he sings this. Mary hears the melodious crooning coming from within the anachronistic tool shed Dusty is ensconced in, and forgets all about her erstwhile love affair with Davey in order to – zzzzzzzzzzzz…
Along comes Mary’s brother, Jeff, who is the man Davy fruitlessly pursued in one of the former horse chases. He sees him again, so –
Horse chase # 3 – zzzzzzzzzzzz…
…
It turns out Jeff has been blackmailed by Cole to act all villainous- zzzzzzzzzzzz…
…
Sorry, it’s my problem, I’m the one who can’t focus. Maybe something of interest will pop u-
AAH SWEET HOLY MERCIFUL 나락, ELMER IS BACK! YAEEEIIIEEE!!!
Okay, a brief surge of terror is enough to get me back on track. Well, back on track long enough to make note of the climax…which has come about through plot developments I no longer remember, and don’t have the wherewithal to parse out from my notes. And that climax, it’s…a shootout on Main Street. The “shootout” part is wildly generic and overdone, but Range Buster-wise the Main Street setting makes things a scant, scant bit more interesting. It’s still 1/1000th the Old West shootout that Open Range boasts at its climax, so I’ll just say…to 나락 with Trail Riders, why don’t you go watch Open Range if you haven’t seen it?
For really, that film boasts one of the greatest classical-style action sequences of the past decade, while Trail Riders’ climax just looks like this:
Zzzzzzzzzzzz…
…
OH YEAH! Let’s get this out of the way now rather than at the start of the next write-up…There is, yet again, a Range Busters film I seemingly cannot find. Oh well, time to dismiss it in a single paragraph:
Two Fisted Justice (1943) – Wells Fargo asks the aid of the Range Busters, in order to stop a series of daring stagecoach robberies that – Waitaminute! This is just Arizona Stage Coach again, isn’t it? Only with David Sharpe now appearing, in place of girly-man “Crash” Corrigan.
Wow, that was even easier to dismiss than I’d expected.
Related posts:
• No. 4 Trail of the Silver Spurs (1941)
• No. 8 Fugitive Valley (1941)
• No. 9 Saddle Mountain Roundup (1941)
• No. 10 Tonto Basic Outlaws (1941)
• No. 11 Underground Rustlers (1941)
• No. 13 Rock River Renegades (1942)
• No. 16 Arizona Stagecoach (1942)
• No. 17 Texas to Bataan (1942)
• No. 20 Haunted Ranch (1943)
• No. 24 Bullets and Saddles (1943)
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