Bar 20

"Bar 20" was the name of the ranch that Hoppy and the boys worked for. In this entry its hardly mentioned except in passing. As was the case in many series westerns, the title had little or nothing to do with the plot.

The story has Hoppy (William Boyd) and his two sidekicks Andy Clyde and George Reeves on a cattle buying trip but becoming embroiled in a series of holdups for which they are ultimately blamed. It seems that chief villain Victor Jory and his gang (including Douglas Fowley and Francis McDonald) are plotting to cheat young rancher Robert Mitchum out of his land and ruin his marriage plans with fiance Dustine Farnum. Well Hoppy and the boys manage to sort things out and bring the villains to justice by the final reel as we knew they would.

The Hopalong Cassidy series had been going since 1935. The high quality of the Harry (Pop) Sherman produced pictures had been maintained putting it way ahead of other series westerns of the day. Boyd was not your typical "B" western hero. He was middle aged with white hair which gave him an air of respect and maturity lacking in other "B" western heroes of the day. The films were also blessed with good supporting casts and great locations.

George Reeves, who would go on to play TV's Superman, makes his only appearance in the series as Hoppy's sidekick, although he had played other parts in other Hoppy films. Robert Mitchum in one of his first substantial roles, was about to emerge as a major star in "A" budget films. I am not aware if heroine Dustine Farnum was any relation to the silent film star Dustin Farnum.

A solid entry in the series. A good early performance from Mitchum.

Outlaws rob Hopalong Cassidy (William Boyd) and his sidekicks (Andy Clyde, George Reeves) of money meant for buying cattle in this fairly entertaining Hoppy western starring a young Robert Mitchum, one of a string of appearances in the series, but this time he playing a nice guy, though a little stubborn.

A decent entry in the series with young Robert Mitcham getting his meatiest role yet, and future 'Superman' George Reeves getting a shot as one of Hoppy's sidekicks and doing a good job. Pretty heroine Dustine Farnum was sadly, in her only screen role, and should have been given more opportunities, but became a Hollywood casualty dying at just 58. Like a lot of Hopalong Cassidy movies, some of the behind the scenes drama is a story in itself! Incidentally, 'Bar 20' is an odd title for this film, as it's only mentioned once, and plays no part in the plot!

In this B western from United Artists and director Lesley Selander. Hopalong Cassidy (William Boyd), along with pals California (Andy Clyde) and Lin Bradley (George Reeves), sets out to buy some cattle for his titular ranch. The trio come across a stagecoach robbery and help a damsel in distress, Marie Stevens (Dustine Farnum). She takes the trio back to her ranch where they meet her fiancee Richard (Robert Mitchum) and friend Mark Jackson (Victor Jory). The bandits who robbed the stage seem to have a larger motive, and Hoppy and his pals may just become targets themselves. Also featuring Betty Blythe, Douglas Fowley, Francis McDonald, and Earle Hodgins.

This was the 48th of 66 Hopalong Cassidy pictures, and it's the first one I've seen. I may have seen bits of others when I was a kid, but this is the only one that I can definitively say that I've seen from start to finish. I watched it for Mitchum, here credited as "Bob Mitchum". His role is quite substantial compared to the others he played in his first year in movies, and he's not bad. This movie did offer the rare sight of seeing Superman sock Robert Mitchum in the jaw. Otherwise, this is the usual B western stuff, made slightly better by the cast. One other note: lead actress Dustine Farnum was the daughter of silent movie western star Dustin Farnum. She was all of 18 at the time, and this ended up being her sole movie credit.

I didn't really know what to expect from this movie. I was literally only watching it because of my love for George Reeves in The Adventures of Superman. I was not disappointed, and ended up enjoying it on the whole. I've never watched an old western before (or many westerns at all, really), but it was an entertaining watch, with appealing protagonists, a pretty interesting plot line with schemes, people getting framed, action, etc., and even some great humor. It's sure to entertain for anyone who likes this sort of thing. Despite all the shootings and whatnot, the entire thing has a warm, kid-friendly feel that I assume was more typical of movies from a simpler time. And of course, I enjoyed George as much as ever. He was cute and young and got a decent amount of screen time, and was the same great guy I knew from Superman.

This movie is just under an hour long, so it's not a great time investment. If you're a fan of any actors or of this genre, I recommend this film.