The Night Riders (1939)

Talbot uses a phony land grant to rule thirteen million acres, taxing everyone heavily and evicting those who won't pay. The Three Mesquiteers becomes mysterious "night riders" to fight ... See full summary »

Director:

George Sherman

Writers:

Betty Burbridge (original screen play), Stanley Roberts (original screen play),

Stars:

John Wayne, Ray Corrigan, Max Terhune

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Wayne	...	Stony Brooke
Ray Corrigan	...	Tucson Smith
Max Terhune	...	Lullaby Joslin
Doreen McKay	...	Soledad
Ruth Rogers	...	Susan Randall
George Douglas	...	Talbot
Tom Tyler	...	Jackson
Kermit Maynard	...	Sheriff Pratt
Sammy McKim	...	Tim Randall
Walter Wills	...	Hazleton
Ethan Laidlaw	...	Andrews
Edward Peil Sr.	...	Rancher Harper
Tom London	...	Rancher Wilson
Jack Ingram	...	Wilkins
Bill Nestell	...	Allen - A Brawler (as William Nestell)

Storyline

Talbot uses a phony land grant to rule thirteen million acres, taxing everyone heavily and evicting those who won't pay. The Three Mesquiteers becomes mysterious "night riders" to fight this evil.

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Plot Keywords:

rancher | firing squad | chase | impersonation | vigilante | 

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Taglines:

Three game guys unite to quell the most daring land-grant swindle in the history of the old West.

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Genres:

History | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 April 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

Lone Star Bullets

Filming Locations:

Agoura Ranch, Agoura, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Republic Pictures (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

56 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA "High Fidelity" Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

[the outlaws are shooting through the windows of the building where the townsmen have holed up]
1st Townsman: Well, they're askin' for it!
2nd Townsman: Yeah. Let's give 'em an answer.
[the townsmen return fire]

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Connections

Followed by The Blocked Trail (1943)

User Reviews

Identity Theft

The value of this today can be found in two things: the action -- that is, the obligatory saloon brawl, shootouts and horseback chases are all competent, and are filmed competently.

The writing: the writer places himself in this -- as 'the Forger'-- and through his 'writings' he pulls the villain's strings. The storytelling centers on the notion of changing identities -- Douglas playing an ex-con, who becomes a card shark, who assumes the mantle of 'the Don'.

And the heroes play the 'three Mesquiteers', who assume the identities of the 'Capequeros', who assume the identities of henchmen, who assume the 'identities' of corpses. It all resolves when the 'true identities' are revealed, and the villain is forced to extricate himself out of his false exterior through 'writing'.

On the whole, this is not a very good Western...the screenplay, acting and dialogue are horrible. Sherman has to get poor marks too, for giving all of this a pass. Ironically, it would take a Kurosawa to utilize Western themes and turn them into great storytelling, a la "Seven Samurai".

When you watch this, you can see where ideas came from for such spoofs as "Blazing Saddles" and "Three Amigos!".