Forbidden Trails

This is one of the better entries from the pleasing Rough Riders series, as it benefits from a startlingly intricate script and some capable acting, with precious few verbal clinkers appearing in a film in which there are no budget gobbling retakes, while maintaining a successful formula of three United States Marshals: Buck Roberts (Buck Jones), Tim McCall (Tim McCoy), and Sandy Hopkins (Raymond Hatton), none apparently knowing the others while they maneuver their way inside a felonious enemy's ramparts. Dave O'Brien plays a struggling mine owner who is being pressured into signing a partnership agreement that he does not want in order to safely transport his high-grade ore, with the principal villain of this piece being the cunning Ed Nelson (Tristram Coffin), assisted by a pair of henchmen performed by old file Western culprits Charles King and Bud Osborne, and there is a fine turn from Christine McIntyre who is cast in her second of the four Rough Rider adventures in which she appears, this item being perfectly paced by Robert Bradbury in his final stint as a director.

In this third installment of the Rough Riders series, we have nearly the same situation as the other two stories. As one of the Marshals will be himself while the other two work undercover to help a local a business owner deal with the thugs that want to put him out of business. But with all the Rough Riders scripts. they throw in lots of action to keep the Saturday matinee kids happy.

It begins in a prison where two convicts vow to get Marshal Buck Roberts (Buck Jones) for locking them up. And when they get out they contact Jones and even believe they have killed him. But thinks to his white horse, Silver, help arrives and Marshal Roberts will recover from his injuries. Meanwhile, Marshal McCall (Tim McCoy) is posing as a card shark and Marshal 'Killer' Hopkins (Raymond Hatton) is posing as a delivery driver that also was put in prison by Roberts. They also throw in a young gentleman named Jim Cramer, the general store owner, that at one time was arrest by Marshal Jones and release all because the Marshal had a soft spot of the young man that was responsible for two small children. Cramer was now on the straight and narrow and about to be married. And he is the owner that villains are trying to put out of business. .

There is much action in this film. As with all 'B' westerns there is lots of shooting, fighting and horse-back riding. There is one action scene that stands out about others which involves a stuntman being dragged supposedly by a horse. Due to the speed of the man being pulled, it was more than likely a motorized vehicle. And I am sure, from the footage, that the stuntman received some nasty injuries due to the dragging. It looked frightening. Overall a nice performance by all. And one that never slowed in action.

When Charles King and Bud Osborne are released from prison they've got some unfinished business to attend to, namely US Marshal Buck Jones. Buck only escapes wounded from a blazing cabin fire by the grace of God and the trustiness of his steed Silver. It's why cowboys love their horses.

But what these two geniuses do is put the Rough Riders on their trail as King and Osborne join saloon owner Tris Coffin in a scheme to extort a partnership from freight line owner Dave O'Brien. With Buck Jones out of action for a bit Tim McCoy and Raymond Hatton start their own investigation and decide to play a long to see what Coffin is up to as he seems like the brains. In fact when Jones arrives he nearly kills his companion's scheme.

Forbidden Trails again with a title that makes no sense to the story, the hallmark of the B western is a fast moving western with a bit more plot than normal in one of these type films. Fans of the B western and the stars will like it.

Rough Riders Buck, Tim and Ray ride like the wind with a great supporting cast and a most fetching leading lady, opera singer Christine McIntyre. Tristram Coffin actually loved playing the heavies and he does them superbly. Great scenes with Jack-Of-All-Trades Dave 'Tex' O'Brien and everyone's favorite henchman, Charles King. Look for action packed scenes with Silver dragging Buck on a rugged trail and Tim stacking the deck in a crooked card game. The scenes were put together brilliantly in this great swan song of director Robert North Bradbury.