A rancher helps a friend claim a spread he's inherited, only to find himself caught up in a web of lies and murder.
1952 Black-and-White American Crime Western Comedy Musical Film
The film opens with a runaway stagecoach with Rex and Slim in pursuit. Rex jumps on and stops the stagecoach, rescuing Jackie and Mattie. However, they mistake him for the careless stagecoach driver. Troubles arise when Jackie and Slim find they are inheriting a third share of a ranch along with Carrie Hurley and her brother Daniel. The next day, Carrie persuades Slim and Jackie to sell their portion of the ranch because of supposedly infected trees, but Rex shows up and stops the sale. Carrie's younger brother Dusty Hurley arrives and agrees to impersonate John Stoker, a forest ranger who has been poisoned by Carrie. Stoker convinces some of the ranchers to sell, but Rex is suspicious and writes to the forest service. The letter from the forest service arrives and Mattie takes it, but is shot by the fake Stoker who takes it to Carrie who hides it. Rex arrives and fights with Stoker who collapses in Carrie's office and she shoots Rex, wounding him. Slim shows up and takes Rex and Stoker to the Doc, but Stoker dies along the way. A storm ensues and all pitch in to stop the dam from breaking. The storm abates, revealing the real ranger's body which, along with Dusty's body, are taken to Doc who finds that both have been poisoned.
The film mixes genres such as western, musical, crime story, and comedy. Interspersed during the action are musical selections sung by The Republic Rhythm Riders, including a rare solo by Slim Pickens. The film was filmed at Republic Studios in Hollywood, California and at various locations in California and Arizona.
