Trigger Pals

Arthur Jarret inherits half of Frank Larue's ranch. The other half goes to Dorothy Fay, whom Jarret imagines as an ugly old maid. She shows up with plans to turn it into a dude ranch. Jarret want it as a working ranch, despite the cattle being rustled by Ted Adams' henchmen. He's posing as a a simple land speculator, but figures if he drives all the ranches in the neighborhood into bankruptcy, they'll go cheap. He tries to convince Miss Fay that Jarret in part of the rustling gang. Can Jarret and his pals, Lee Powell and Al St. John, clear him and unmask Adams?

It's an ok singing B western that might had led somewhere had not production company Grand National gone out of business. The film sat on the shelves for a year while matters sorted out. During that time Jarret left Hollywood. He had a great start as a singer, working for MGM and other major companies, introducing songs like "Let's Fall In Love" and "Did You Ever See A Dream Walking?". But Hollywood had grown bored with him, so it was back to the band circuit. He led orchestras through the 1940s, then became a disc jockey, and later a salesman. He died in 1987, aged 80.

It is obvious that poverty row Grand National studio was trying to put together a formula western trio to compete with Republic's Three Mesquiteers in Trigger Pals. Musical and nightclub singer Art Jarrett was teamed with Lee Powell and Al St.John for a trio that apparently there was no further demand for. Besides Grand National had Tex Ritter as a singing cowboy already.

But it was Mrs. Tex Ritter Dorothy Fay who appears in this film. She and Jarrett inherit a ranch where Jarrett was previously foreman that has been plagued by rustling. I don't think I have to elaborate further except that there is someone in the picture who wants to buy the ranch.

Nothing terribly original here. Jarrett has some nice notes, but has trouble fitting the cowboy hero mold. Al St.John and Nina Guilbert playing Fay's aunt have some funny moments.

Decent enough B western for those who like the genre.