Trail of the Silver Spurs

"Trail of the Silver Spurs" was an another entry in the "Range Busters" series from Monogram starring Ray "Crash" Corrigan, John "Dusty" King and Max "Alibi" Terhune. I found the story confusing although one is never certain if they are seeing the complete version of the film.

The boys are undercover marshals in search of a character known only as "The Jingler" (I. Stanford Jolley). Its not made clear why they are after him in the beginning. They are supposed to be prospectors. The only "disguise" employed is the fact that they are NOT riding their regular horses, but ARE wearing their usual hero/sidekick wardrobe.

Anyway, they arrive in Bottleneck, a former mining town now a ghost town. Mysterious characters lurk about. Dan Nordick (Milburn Morante) and his daughter Nancy (Dorothy Short) are the only survivors from the mining days. But "The Jingler" (so named for his "jingling" silver spurs) is for some reason, hiding out in the basement of the hotel and has tried to drive the Nordick's away. Also lurking about is a mysterious gunman (George Chesebro).

At any rate they all take sots at the Range Busters and each other. The boys befriend the Nordicks and Crash and Dusty take turns romancing Nancy while Alibi hauls out his dummy "Elmer".

Alibi decides to help out the Nordicks by planting gold nuggets (which he just happens to have), in the old mine. Through the generous use of stock footage, a gold rush is started and the town is reborn with miners (and automobiles). When the scheme is exposed, the miners file out of town as quickly as they had come (again courtesy of stock footage) and we are back to a ghost town again. Then we find out the real reason why the Jingler is hiding out and the mysterious Gunman is lurking about.

Both Corrigan and Terhune had been members of The Three Mesquiteers at Republic in the 30s. Corrigan was a likable sort but was never a great actor. Terhune made an amiable sidekick and his scenes with "Elmer" were always entertaining. John King had been a big band singer and had a good voice. He got to sing a couple of songs in this one.

Filmed (except of course for the stock footage) at Corrigan's ranch, "Corriganville".

Either someone at Monogram butchered this Range Busters western or it was not carefully edited for television. In the days that Sam Katzman rode the range at Monogram either is a good bet.

The guys are working undercover and are on the trail of an hombre called the Jingler because he wears the biggest and fanciest pair of spurs you ever saw. Doesn't believe in being incognito.

Speaking of disguises the Range Busters in going undercover discard their familiar mounts, but keep their famous cowboy hero outfits lest the front row kids know for sure they're the good guys. They sure don't look like miners.

The investigation isn't helped by Max Terhune after consultation with Elmer decides to salt the abandoned mine in the ghost town where the Jingler is reputed to be. Overnight the town fills and just as fast it empties when the truth is discovered.

Now they're might be some lost footage out there, but I doubt we'll see a demand for a director's cut.

One of the worst of the Range Busters.

The Range Busters was a trio cowboy hero series from Monogram. In the first 2/3 of the series, it starred Dusty King, Ray Corrigan, Max Terhune and his evil devil-doll, Elmer*. Later in the series the various leads changed...and the films aren't quite as good. "Trail of the Silver Spurs" is one of these earlier Range Buster flicks.

When the story begins, you learn that the Denver Mint's been robbed of its gold (which seems pretty impossible). The Range Busters investigate and the trail leads to a ghost town which APPEARS to be empty. What's next? Well, apart from Max seeding the mines with gold, find out for yourself.

This is a pretty average Range Busters film...no better nor worst. Solid entertainment but nothing special.

*In a few of these Range Buster films, Elmer moves and talks even when Tex isn't holding him!! Truly he must he demonic...though nice demonic!

Ray "Crash" Corrigan (Himself), Dusty (John King) and Alibi (Max Terhune) -the Range Busters - travel to Bottleneck only to find it a ghost town. But after Alibi salts the mine, Bottleneck quickly becomes a boom town. Which the Jingler (I. Stanford Jolley) who had taken gold from the Denver mint. The range busters' mission is to recover the gold.

Ghost town and mystery was very inciting for me to watch this as I feel mystery and westerns make a good match. But unfortunately there aren't many. Add the range busters in the mix and The Trail of Silver Spurs ( the Jingler wears silver spurs) looks really good, but the truth is it wasn't very involving. It had a good opening and nice finale - in between it was just messy and nothing striking.