Dangerous Venture

The Hopalong Cassidy series came a cropper with Dangerous Venture where Hoppy, Lucky, and California serve as security for an archaeological expedition. There have been artifacts showing up and rumors of a secret Indian tribe up in the hills that the white folks call Ghost Indians.

It's Betty Alexander's expedition her dad was a good friend of Hoppy's but his health won't permit him to make the trip. She's got a colleague in Douglas Evans who's more interested in looting the treasures the Indians have as it is reputed they are remnants of Aztecs. The chief's son has the Indian name of Jose.

This story was more silly than anything else and you know that as soon as Hopalong Cassidy was not on the scene this tribe would have been reduced to peonage. As it is some outlaw gang is using their territory to hide stolen cattle and the leader of the rustlers and the greedy archaeologist form an alliance of convenience.

This was not one of the better entries in the series.

Really good Hoppy for those who like lots of outdoor action. The cast gets to ride around the big-rock Alabama Hills for the whole hour, with all those scenic vistas of the southern Sierras in the background. The plot is more complex than usual. Hoppy's got to keep the Indians peaceful, beat the rustlers, help the archaeologists, and figure out who the bad guys are (there's more than one moustache).

There's more ducking around the big rocks than hard-riding or fast-shooting. But I really like the imaginative touches of an Indian altar and "ghost riders". Plus there're two pretty girls to look at, causing me to wonder how I can join the Indian princess's (Pat Tate) tribe. Anyhow, it's still a lot of fun for us old cowboy wannabe's.

(In passing—Hoppy was a fixture for years at LA's annual Rose Parade. He always made a point of riding over to the kids and smilingly doffing his hat. What a thrill for this former Front Row kid. Thanks, Hoppy.)

I just saw this flick today on the Westerns Channel. It is my first look at William Boyd aka Hopalong Cassidy. I have seen several other Western stars like Tom Mix, Roy Rogers and Gene Autry and I must saw from an early examination, Hoppy seems to be slightly more engaging than the others in his company. This B-movie is also helped by a supporting cast, which seems to remind one of the cast of "Stagecoach" with the likes of Andy Devine which to me made the movie as memorable as John Wayne's performance as Ringo. This is one of the best B-Westerns I've seen so far. Don't expect the intellectual depths of "Red River" or "The Searchers," but for a good time and a nice glimpse into what it must have been like to be a kid watching a serial in the 40s (long before my time), check this one out!

I found this Hopalong Cassidy film on YouTube....and was thrilled to see most, if not all, of his old movies have been gorgeously restored and uploaded to this site. So, if you want to see the rest of his movies, this is the best place to start.

"Dangerous Venture" is a bit of a departure for the cowboy hero, though the film has a lot in common with another unusual Hoppy film, "Secrets of the Wastelands", as BOTH feature Hopalong Cassidy and his pals providing protection for an archaeological expedition into the American desert...and both were filmed in the Alabama Hills in Lone Pine, California.

The archaeologists are investigating a theory that the Aztecs moved north into the American desert following their subjugation by the Spanish in the 16th c century. The problem is that these local tribesmen and women are afraid that the white folks will plunder their grave sites....and it's made worse for both sides when faux-natives appear! Yes, white guys painted up and wearing wigs while dressing like these people are appearing here and there....robbing, shooting and making a real nuisance of themselves. Hoppy is hired to investigate and soon he realizes BOTH the archaeologists and the tribe are being pitted against each other by a third party. But who and why?

"Secrets of the Wastelands" is simply a better film for several reasons. First, it was first...and seems much more original because of this. Second, the 'Aztecs' are pretty ridiculous...especially when they want to perform a ritual human sacrifice!!! Pretty silly...but the good still well outweighs the bad. Worth seeing if you like B-westerns.

Hoppy protects a young Indian boy who is being chased and unjustly accused of being the lookout for a band of rustlers since carved amulets are found after each rustling raid. As it happens, the young boy works for the archaeologist Dr. Sue Harmon (Betty Alexander). Doc Harmon and Hoppy are old friends and she persuades him and sidekicks California and Lucky to join in the archaeological dig. Unfortunately, a colleague of hers is no good and joins forces with the head of the rustling gang in a scheme to steal and then sell the Indian artifacts. The scenery in this movie is stunning and having an archaeology expedition as part of the story is refreshing – as is having a woman archaeologist. I was reminded again in seeing this movie how good Hoppy was in fist fights – they are so realistic (unlike fights in some B Westerns).