El valle del olvido

Surprised to find this movie is practically a scene-by-scene repeat of the 1937 "Rustlers Valley." Gabby Hayes (Windy) did the part Andy Clyde does here, and Russell Hayden (Lucky) does the Jay Kirby role. William Boyd must've had deja vu. Both are good pictures, but I had no idea the Hoppys reused any of their scripts. Interesting to see a whole new supporting cast in the various roles in the two films. Only Boyd as Hoppy played the same role. Both movies start with Hayden, or Kirby, being chased by a posse and riding off a cliff into a river. He is believed drowned, but survives and gets help from Hoppy and Windy or California in trying to clear himself of a bank robbery accusation.

Firstly, it's great to see Hoppy back in all black in 1942, after wearing lighter colours in the 1941 season. Why this is a remake of an earlier Hoppy film I don't know, didn't they have any new scripts ready to kick off the new season? Another new side kick too, in Jay Kirby, pleasant enough, but it was obvious they were having trouble replacing the great Russell Hayden, eventually, the likeable Rand Brooks filled the void. Although this film offers nothing new in plot, it's enjoyable enough, mainly thanks to the charisma of it's star!

Hoppy starts out dressed all in black (a good sign), but later switches to a sports jacket (but with his regular steer clasp necktie, a bad sign). There's some good action here, but unfortunately Hoppy misses a good portion of it. During the biggest gunfight of the film, Hoppy stays in a cabin holding three baddies at bay, thereby missing all the action of the gunfight. Can someone tell me why the Sportsmen Quartette has FIVE members?! The dance sequence was repeated in a later Hoppy film. Interestingly, Hoppy answers a question about Topper (his horse) by saying "I don't know much about his past." This film is slow moving, much of the comedy misses the mark, & the film ends up being rather dull for a Hoppy movie. By the way, the film runs 59 minutes, not 69 minutes as the box claims. I rate it only 4/10.

Jay Kirby one of Hopalong Cassidy's sidekicks has himself in a real jackpot. He escaped from a posse that's looking for him for bank robbery. Little does Kirby realize that the robbery is only part of a scheme cooked up to gain control of Herbert Rawlinson's ranch. Another part of that scheme is shyster lawyer Douglas Fowley marrying Rawlinson's niece Lola Lane.

Fowley looks like a real bottom feeder more at home in some night court in the big city than the wide open space. Still he's one of those villains you love to hate.

The Sportsman Quartet known for their appearance on Jack Benny's radio show make an appearance in the bunkhouse singing current hit Jingle Jangle Jingle. Even though Hoppy was not one of the singing cowboys some music got into his films on occasion.

Andy Clyde has a very funny sequence trying to eat a biscuit he cooked. Plaster of Paris isn't usually an ingredient for cooking.

Check out the final showdown. Kirby and Clyde nearly kill Hoppy with the rocks they're using.

Watch the film to see what I mean.

Entertaining Hoppy oater. It's got everything a former front row kid likes, which means lots of action, goofy comedy, and a pretty girl without mushy kissy-face. The only minus is an absence of dramatic scenery, but then these budget products seldom leave greater LA. The plot's familiar-- bad guys aiming to get all the area ranches. But they have to get past our three good guys first. A big plus is getting Douglas Fowley as the main bad guy; he's so good at being mean, as his lengthy career shows. And catch Audie Murphy look-alike Jay Kirby as Johnny, the kid. Of course there's also Andy Clyde furnishing the laughs, especially with all the over-weight ladies. But please, whatever you do, don't send me to his school of dance or cooking. Hoppy too is in fine form. Amazing how Boyd could go from hard-eyed stare to jolly guffaw in just a few seconds; so eat your heart out Clint Eastwood. All in all, it's an hour of solid oater entertainment, thanks to series producer Harry Sherman, Bill Boyd, and of course Topper.