Hittin' the Trail

Big time horse thieves manipulate Tex and his partner Hank into transporting stolen horses across the border where they plan to kill them.

Tex Ritter was a great singer and one of the most likable of all the B-western stars. Here his charismatic charm and singing ability makes up for the lack of action or suspense in the first two-thirds of the film.

An abundance of lively music, including Tex's memorable rendition of "Blood On The Saddle" and an appearance by western singer (and writer of "Back In The Saddle Again") Ray Whitley and The Range Busters, make the slow parts worth watching despite the thin plot. It all really helps elevate this to the level of an above average singing cowboy picture.

The neat climax is worth waiting around for.

The guys Hittin' The Trail are Tex Ritter and his sidekick Hank Worden who have a string of horses when they are mistaken for the notorious Tombstone Kid and his outlaw henchman. Of course Tex and Hank are cleared later and the sheriff releases them, but that only gets them in deeper involved in the local outlaw situation.

Either a bad script or bad editing made the plot a bit vague and hard to follow. The film seems to have eschewed Ritter the cowboy hero for Ritter the country and western singing star and musical numbers abound in Hittin' The Trail. It's the saving grace of the film.

It also shows what a bad reputation will get you as the real Tombstone Kid is a convenient place to put blame for all the lawbreaking committed by the film's real villain Earl Dwire who was in many a John Wayne B western for the various companies he worked for in the Thirties. Of course it all gets straightened out in the end, much to the satisfaction of the rancher's daughter Jerry Bergh.

Ritter's film career might have been better served had he been one of Republic's stable of cowboy heroes. As it is this film was done by the shortlived B studio Grand National and the seams do show.

After shaving, horse-trader Tex Ritter (as Tex Randall) and cleaned-up partner Hank Worden (as Hank) are mistaken for outlaws. They are quickly freed, as the plot seems to forget where it's going. Mr. Ritter is framed for some illegal horsing around. There ought to be a law. The DVD sleeve claims, "Action and suspense blend perfectly in this original, exciting Western." In your dreams. There are about one-and-a-half good songs, at least. And, it's amusing to watch Mr. Worden's background facial expressions.

** Hittin' the Trail (4/3/37) Robert N. Bradbury ~ Tex Ritter, Hank Worden, Earl Dwire, Tommy Bupp