Trail Riders

The start of this film is really badly done...even for a cheap B-western. The local Marshal sees that the bank is being held up and he and about a half dozen locals wait outside to blast the robbers as they exit. They are about 30 feet away and unleash dozens of bullets....and not a single robber is hit!! While in movies films often make shooting a target look too easy...this one is the opposite. Heck, they even might have stopped the robbers if they just threw their guns at the bandits!! What were they using....cap pistols??

During the course of this robbery, only one person is shot....and it was the Marshal who was shot in the back by a seemingly decent local member of some vigilante group. Soon the Range Busters (David Sharpe, Dusty King, Max Terhune and his demonic friend, Elmer) are sent to investigate.

Although the Range Busters lineup was consistent through the first 2/3 of the series, this one marks a change. Instead of Ray Corrigan, for some reason stuntman David Sharpe fills in for the third lead...and he did so for an additional three films. He's okay, though a bit bland. Additionally, the opening shootout and Elmer....uggh!

No insult to Ray "Crash" Corrigan (who was one of the great western movie stunt men (along with Yakima Canutt and others), but I disagree with previous writer who dissed Davy Sharpe stepping in for ray Corrigan. I welcome any movie in which Davy Sharpe consented to appear. I don't know, but I guess that Davy Sharpe enjoyed stunt work more than acting, so his "acting" appearances are far fewer than the number of movies he was called upon to double the star and henchmen in dozens of films. No movie cowboy was handsomer than Davy Sharpe or better suited in terms of athleticism and acting chops to be a western star, but, watching him partner Rex Bell so well in Idaho Kid, I have to assume that it was Davy Sharpe's choice to limit his acting roles.

David Sharpe has taken Crash Corrigan's place as a Range Buster. Please come back, Crash! Silly, predictable story line. Alibi's dummy, Elmer, again talks without Alibi near him. The ever present humor is there along with two Range Busters vying for a girl's attention. As usual, neither gets her. There is something strangely appealing about these childhood cowboy heroes. Justice always prevails, but the good guy doesn't always get the girl. With the absence of Crash Corrigan, Dusty King has taken over as the leader. Is it possible Alibi could get top billing? If all Range Busters films were like this one, it's no wonder they stopped at twenty-four. "See you in our next adventure!"