Hit the saddle

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Movie
Original title Hit the saddle
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1937
length 57 minutes
Rod
Director Mack V. Wright
script Oliver Drake ,
Maurice Geraghty
production Nat Levine ,
Sol C. Siegel
music Alberto Colombo
camera Jack A. Marta
cut Tony Martinelli
occupation

Hit the Saddle is an American western from the film series The Three Mesquiteers from 1937. It was based on a short story by William Colt MacDonald . The young Rita Hayworth can be seen in a supporting role and was given in the credits under the name Rita Cansino.

action

"The Three Musketeers" - Stony Brooke, Tucson Smith and Lullaby Joslin - help Sheriff Miller arrest a gang of horse thieves. Miller then brings them into town to see their leader, Rance McGowan, who uses a real estate company as a cover for his illegal wild horse business. McGowan assures him that his men were only looking for his own runaway horses. Miller therefore lets them go - with the warning not to let them get away with a similar incident again. Shortly thereafter, McGowan is given the task of capturing 1,000 wild horses and therefore orders his henchman Joe Harvey, Sheriff Miller and the Musketeers to get out of the way. In the meantime, Stony visits his girlfriend Rita, who works as a singer and dancer in a saloon . However, Stony's companions Tucson and Lullaby are convinced that Rita is only after Stony's money, so they try to educate their young friend about Rita's selfish character. But Stony doesn't want to listen to them. When Harvey Rita intrudes in the saloon, there is a fight between his gang and the musketeers, who ultimately can assert themselves. Harvey then returns to McGowan's ranch and begins to paint a stallion named Volcano, who is trained to kill, to look like the piebald leader of a wild herd. Volcano and McGowan's other horses then roam the area, destroying pastureland and injuring several local residents. When Sheriff Miller and the Musketeers search for the piebald , Miller is trampled to death by Volcano.

As a result, Tucson is temporarily appointed sheriff while ranchers press for the repeal of a law protecting wild horses. Stony is certain that it wasn't the piebald wild horse on Miller's conscience. Still, he helps Tucson and Lullaby capture the wild stallion and bring it to town. Stony can prove that the animal is meek and also points out that there were hoof prints on Miller's body, but Tucson decides to give in to the will of the population and shoot the horse the next morning. After Stony and Tucson fell out over the horse and Stony's upcoming marriage to Rita, Lullaby visits Rita in her dressing room to tell her that Tucson is the steward of Stony's money. Rita, who dreams of an acting career on stage, then agrees to dump Stony and disappear with Tucson's offer of $ 1,500 and a train ticket to New York .

After Rita leaves Stony, Tucson accuses Tucson of interfering in his affairs again, leading to another falling out between the two. Stony finally storms off and frees the piebald. He is captured by McGowan's men and is now also said to be trampled to death by Volcano. However, the piebald comes to his aid and saves his life. At that moment, Tucson and Lullaby arrive, looking for Stony. When they learn what happened, a violent exchange of fire ensues between them and the gang. McGowan's people are overwhelmed by them, and McGowan manages to ride away on Volcano. When Stony gives the order to kill with the special whistle Volcano, the stallion throws McGowan down and tramples him with his hooves. After everything has cleared up, the wild horses are allowed to roam the country undisturbed again and the three musketeers set off on new adventures together.

background

The western adventures of the "three musketeers" Stony Brooke, Tucson Smith and Lullaby Joslin were written by William Colt MacDonald and were filmed for the first time by RKO Pictures in 1935 with Powdersmoke Range . In 1936, the independent production company Republic Pictures started the series The Three Mesquiteers , which was also based on MacDonald's characters and stories. By 1943, when the series was discontinued, a total of 50 profitable films were made, of which Hit the Saddle was to become the eighth part. The actors for the three main roles changed frequently. In addition to Robert Livingston , Ray Corrigan and Max Terhune, John Wayne , Ralph Byrd, Bob Steele , Tom Tyler , Rufe Davis, Jimmy Dodd, Raymond Hatton and Duncan Reynaldo each played a role in the trio over the years .

Although the actresses usually wore period costumes within the series, Rita Hayworth could be seen in 1930s contemporary clothes in Hit the Saddle .

Reviews

According to Weekly Variety , the film offers "some nice outdoor shots". In addition, the musketeers are "a lovable trio". Hans J. Wollstein from the All Movie Guide found in retrospect that Hit the Saddle , apart from Rita Hayworth's appearance, was "hardly earth-shattering". This is due to the "plot that has been told many times". However, "Republic Pictures' original musketeers - Robert Livingston, Ray Corrigan and Max Terhune - are so engaging and the production so well implemented" that the viewer should have "a good time" with the film. In terms of “the surprisingly serious discussion about animal rights”, the film was “one of the more interesting B-Westerns of its time”.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Gene Ringgold: The Films of Rita Hayworth . Citadel Press, Secaucus 1974, pp. 76-77.
  2. ↑ "Picture offers some nice outdoor scenics and the Mesquiteers themselves are a likable trio." See Weekly Variety cit. after Gene Ringgold: The Films of Rita Hayworth . Citadel Press, Secaucus 1974, p. 77.
  3. ↑ “Aside from the presence of Rita Hayworth, Hit the Saddle is hardly earthshaking, what with a plot told many times before […]. But Republic Pictures' original Mesquiteers - Robert Livingston, Ray Corrigan and Max Terhune - are so engaging and the production so well assembled that a good time should be had by all. Add to that a surprisingly serious discussion about the rights of animals and you have a more interesting B-Westerns of its day. " Hans J. Wollstein, cf. omovie.com