I recently discovered that nearly all (or perhaps all ) of the old Hopalong Cassidy B-movies were posted on YouTube. Normally, this wouldn't excite me, but these films are in pristine condition...an not edited for TV like too many old time cowboy films. Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, for example, often only have these abbreviated television time-slot versions...but in this case, you get the entire film...which is USUALLY nice. Why do I say usually? Well, in the case of one of his few duds, "Outlaws of the Desert", had they abbreviated it to 5-10 minutes it wouldn't have bothered me!
Yes, this film is that rare Hopalong Cassidy dud. This is for two main reasons. First, Susan is one of the most annoying and nonsensical characters I've ever seen. She is a one-dimensional stereotype...but also abrasive and stupid. Second, much of this cowboy film is set in Arabia!! Yes, I really said Arabia!!
When the story begins, Hoppy and his two pals have just finally captured a runaway horse. When they arrive in town, Susan immediately contacts the sheriff and reports that these three men are horse thieves!! And, she insists that they are guilty because 'they look like criminals' and she is positive they stole the horse. Well, when they take the prisoners to Susan's father, he thanks Hoppy for bringing back his runaway horse...and tells the police that he paid these men to capture the horse!!
Now you'd USUALLY think that a person would be very contrite after accusing three men of thievery...but Susan was a character apparently written by a really dim chimp. Throughout nearly all the movie, she is surly and insists that Hoppy and his pals are practically demons! This is just bad writing and is a somewhat familiar trope of the era...the emancipated angry woman. But she goes far beyond this to the point of nonsensical.
Next Susan's father inexplicably announces he's going to Arabia to purchase some horses...and he wants Hoppy and the gang to accompany him and make the purchase. Seeing Hopalong Cassidy in the desert is just too surreal...though actually the film was made in the California desert..which actually looked realistic as there are huge dunes there, just like in the Middle East.
After concluding business with the local chieftain, instead of heading back to America, Hoppy and his pals learn that some scumbags who Susan met and trusted have kidnapped her father!! And so, he and his new chieftain friend (Duncan Ronaldo) go on a rescue mission. Oh, Susan, you idiot, you!
Seeing Hoppy in Arabia (they never use the term 'Saudi Arabia'...just 'Arabia'), was not all that terrible. Yes, it made no sense...but at least the filmmakers did a pretty good job of sensitively and realistically portraying these Muslims. But as for Susan, she was hellishly stupid and ruined what could have kind of worked. Overall, though I've only seen about three dozen of the 66 Hopalong Cassidy films, this is, by far, the worst of them. Most are either good or excellent...this one was just dopey.
