The Devil's Saddle Legion

Bearing in mind that films like The Devil's Saddle Legion were marketed for the Saturday afternoon kiddie trade, still I had a lot of problems with this Dick Foran oater from Warner Brothers.

Foran is a pleasant chap come home to Texas and not knowing yet that his father has been bushwhacked and killed. He gets framed for murder of yet another old friend by a crooked sheriff. But in this town the sentence is always one of hard labor. And the crooks have a nefarious scheme to dam up the Red River and steal Texas land when the river changes course and puts said land into the Indian territory later Oklahoma. That includes Foran's former spread.

I have to say though Foran is a true cowboy hero. While working on the construction gang he saves the girl Anne Nagel when her horse bolts. Quick as a flash he steals a horse and runs down the runaway and saves Nagel. So what does he then do? He takes her back to the gang where once again he's slapped in custody. I mean, really. I'll bet the Saturday matinee kids had trouble swallowing that one.

Definitely not one of Foran's better westerns for Warner Brothers.

Dick Foran is Holladay, the "singing cowboy", and yodels his way through the opening theme. He comes across a man who has been shot by a group of bandits, so now he's accused of the murder. It all seems to hinge on the crooks running the local prison. and the local girl (Anne Nagel) seems to want to help Holladay, but he's not sure ....a whole lotta story in 52 minutes... it's a short shortie from warner brothers. Directed by William Bobby Connolly, who died quite young at 46. wasn't able to find anything on why he died so young. had directed 13 films, and was nominated for four oscars! all for best dance. it's okay. very typical western. wrongly accused cowboy has to try to prove his innocense. for all the trouble he's in, its pretty surprising that he keeps breaking out in song, but he is the singing cowboy, after all. There is a film from 1927 with the same title, but unknown if it this one is related to that one... not much info on the earlier version.