Wide Open Town

"Wide Open Town" is a basic but descriptive title for a remaking of the earlier-done "Hopalong Cassidy Returns" (1936). The original is often considered a more substantial work, but on its own it is still highly entertaining and is around fifteen minutes longer than a typical B-western. But this is not just a B-western, as its production values really place it a tick higher, maybe at a B+. It very much puts the Alabama Hills around Lone Pine, CA. on display, with many vistas of the snow-clad Sierra Nevada Range and king hill Mt. Whitney to be had. The snow level looks to be down to the 6,000-foot level in some of the scenes so filming must have been done in the winter or spring. The many action scenes take full advantage of the local outdoor beauty.

The cast is deep with many western veterans doing their thing. William Boyd shows himself once again to be a good actor with a strong, handsome presence. He even gets to have the love interest (such as it is) in this one. One of America's true acting legends, Evelyn Brent, has a strong female role in this one, a bad girl at that, and the esteemed Victor Jory gives this film an A-level acting presence. The town sets, including the complex saloon and hotel, are strong and used effectively. The musical score gets a little exuberant in this one, but overall this is a well put-together film with a good story that western film fans will appreciate. The only things really that differentiate this one from an A-level film are the less developed romantic story line and the lack of self-reflection moments. I would suggest viewing "Wide Open Town" first and then look at how the story was filmed five years earlier in Hopalong Cassidy Returns."

Belle Langtry runs a town being taken over by cattle rustlers. She is also a front for the outlaws, who are led by Steve Fraser. Hoppy gets elected sheriff and cleans up the town with help from the Bar 20 boys.

Wide Open Town is a quality Hoppy western with a higher production value than usual, good energetic action and a charismatic villainess - well not strictly a bad girl - in Belle Langtry, played perfectly by Evelyn Brent, who falls for Hoppy and isn't as nasty as her partner (Victor Jory). Jory is the main villain who is handy with a rifle, especially when his target is showing his back. This western covers the "town taming" plot really well with an energy and a strong plot. Just don't ask California to fix your printer.

Remaking films is not a new thing. In fact, in the 1930s and 40s, it was very common to remake films only a few years after the original. But in almost every case, there was a new cast and significant changes were made to the script. But with "Wide Open Town", the remake is incredibly lazy, as BOTH it and "Hopalong Cassidy Returns" star William Boyd and the details are sure close. If you want to know the very few differences, look at the iMDB trivia for the film.

Hoppy and the gang are following the trail of cattle rustled from the Bar 20 ranch. It leads to a craptastic town that is run by a local baddie, Belle Langtree* and her second in command, Steve (Victor Jory). They are, of course, behind the rustling as well as MANY other crimes. They can do all this because there is no law in town, as the last two sheriffs were gunned down by Belle's men. Additionally, when the local paper tries to drum up support for law and order, her men destroy the presses! When Hoppy sees this, he decides to become sheriff and it puts him on a collision course with Belle.

The only thing I really found interesting in this super-lazy remake is the casting of Morris Ankrum as the editor of the local paper. He nearly always plays the villain in the Hopalong Cassidy films and it's nice to finally see him on the side of the good guys! Apart from that, there really is no reason to see this movie if you've already seen the original. A cynical attempt to make money while delivering nothing new or of substance to the fans of the franchise.

Usually its Russell Hayden or whomever is playing the young sidekick that gets the love interest in a Hopalong Cassidy film. But in Wide Open Town its saloon owner and chief villain Evelyn Brent who gets her hormones going in a big way for Hoppy himself.

Hoppy, Lucky, and California are traveling south on the trail of some stolen Bar 20 cattle when they come to Brent's town. It's a Wide Open Town with no sheriff thanks to Brent and Victor Jory who run an outlaw gang out of her saloon with rustling being only one of many rackets this gang is into.

After Jory and his gang beat up newspaper owner Morris Ankrum, Ankrum who also happens to be mayor talks Hoppy into taking the job of sheriff. Now he can use the official authority of the law to both accomplish his mission and clean up the town. Ankrum has a daughter in young Cara Williams but oddly enough Lucky Jenkins isn't buzzing around her as he would normally.

Because of Brent and her feelings for Hoppy she and Jory start quarreling and that puts an end to their partnership and their rackets.

One of the better Hopalong Cassidy features.

The Hoppy's were the most respectable and - for an eight year old - the most involving of the series westerns.

WIDE OPEN TOWN is a remake (occasionally shot-for-shot as with the single insert of the bar girls) of the thirties HOPALONG CASSIDY RETURNS with Brent in the same role and Ankrum promoted from heavy to to upstanding newspaper man. Comparing them, it's possible to see the series shift from Harry Sherman's notion of a realist William S. Hart cycle to the kids' heroics Boyd favored.

The later film is more polished and a comparison of the two runaway horse sequences shows the development and the contribution of director Seylander.

The new film foregrounds a pre-teen heroine and lets Brent atone for her sins "I'm playing for big stakes...You & your outfit were nothing but tin horn rustlers till I got here" she cautions nasty Victor Jory.

Hoppy "the ex Sheriff who cleaned up Santa Fe" visits the troubled town and characteristically decides "I'd like to help." Soon he's disposing of henchman Barcroft by flinging the raw liquor he insists Hoppy drink instead of the usual sarsparilla, in the low life's face. "I did invite him out of town, didn't I?"

There's the requisite action with the added pleasure of Hoppy getting fighting mad and taking it out on Jory and rather too much un-funny comedy with California, which probably played better with the original audiences.

The Mount Mitchell, Devils Marbles, Lone Pine scenery, the Wells Fargo box robbery at the rail station, the cattle herd providing foreground action at the hideout, the busy western street and saloon full of costumed extras are all spot on. Throw in a strong support cast well chosen, making this vintage B western, better than a lot of entertainment for big people.

The running shot of Hoppy at full gallop, out to rescue Brent is worth a cheer.