Pioneers of the West

This film essentially begins several years after the Civil War with settlers in a wagon train heading out west to start a new life on their own. In order to do that, they have entrusted most of their hard-earned money to a man named "Steve Carson" (Lane Chandler) who has gone to their ultimate destination ahead of them to purchase good farming land for them. But before they can even begin to realize their dream, they first have to successfully endure bad weather and hostile Native American tribes along the way. It's not going to be easy. Fortunately, just when things get so bad that many of them consider turning back, they come across the Three Mesquiteers who offer their support. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this turned out to be one of the better films in the series due to the serious nature of the overall plot. No doubt the absence of Max Terhune (who played the character of "Lullaby Joslin" in a number of previous films) had much to do with this. But that's just my opinion. Be that as it may, while this was still a grade-B Western, I liked it a bit better than most of the others, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.