The Far Frontier (1948)

Willis Newcomb and Bart Carroll head a gang engaged in smuggling wanted-American criminals back into the United States from Mexico. Operating from Sharperville, an oil town on the American ... See full summary »

Director:

William Witney

Writer:

Sloan Nibley

Stars:

Roy Rogers, Trigger, Gail Davis

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Roy Rogers	...	Roy Rogers
Trigger	...	Trigger - Roy's Horse
Gail Davis	...	Susan Hathaway
Andy Devine	...	Judge Cookie Bullfincher
Francis Ford	...	Alf Sharper
Roy Barcroft	...	Henchman Bart
Clayton Moore	...	Tom Sharper
Robert Strange	...	Willis Newcomb
Holly Bane	...	Henchman Rocco
Lane Bradford	...	Henchman Butch
John Bagni	...	Rollins, Smuggled Criminal
Clarence Straight	...	Jeb, the Defendant
Edmund Cobb	...	Sheriff
Foy Willing	...	Foy
Riders of the Purple Sage	...	Musicians / Cowhands

Storyline

Willis Newcomb and Bart Carroll head a gang engaged in smuggling wanted-American criminals back into the United States from Mexico. Operating from Sharperville, an oil town on the American side of the border, they transport their human cargo in oil drums loaded on trucks. Border Patrolman Tom Sharper intercepts one of the trucks but is overpowered and left for dead. Carroll, having already been paid for the job and not wanting any evidence to walk around, get caught and lead back to him, backs the human-cargo trucks to the edge of a cliff and sends the drums crashing to the boulder far below. Judge Cookie Bullfincher and Border Patrolman Roy Rogers conduct a search for the missing Tom, but the crooks have gone back for him and find him in a state of amnesia. They rob the bank and pin it on Tom. It is now up to Roy to clear his friend and also put an end to Carroll's human-smuggling racket.

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Plot Keywords:

barrel | pigeon | carrier pigeon | amnesia | smuggling gang | 

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Taglines:

Roy Battles Border Smugglers! Thrills ripped from today's headlines... The shock story of the year!

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 December 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

Carga Humana

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Republic Pictures (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

67 min 67 min (original) 54 min (edited)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Trucolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"The Casual Cowboy Song"
Written by Jack Elliott and Aaron González

User Reviews

Goniff Smuggling Cowboys

I was intrigued with the premise of The Far Frontier, cowboys in the smuggling racket where the items smuggled are criminals back and forth from the USA. I could have seen it done in a much bigger feature film.

This particular Roy Rogers movie while observing some parameters for the Saturday afternoon kiddie trade was a pretty violent outing for Roy. In this he's a border patrolman which is his involvement with bringing down this particular racket.

One of his fellow border patrolmen is Clayton Moore who stumbles on the racket and gets clipped on the head with a wrench and left on the trail. Moore is the son of Francis Ford, John's brother, and the amnesia he develops allows him to be framed for a murder that was committed for no other reason than to frame him. Francis Ford is a long time enemy of Robert Strange who was the head of the smuggling operation.

But that particular murder is just one of many acts committed by Strange's men under the leadership of his number Roy Barcroft one of the great B western villains ever. The crimes Barcroft commits here must have staggered those Saturday matinée kids in 1948.

Roy's leading lady in this film is Gail Davis, usually found opposite Gene Autry in his westerns. Also along is Andy Devine who did several films with Roy in the Forties.

There is a scene toward the beginning of the film where Barcroft and some of the criminals they're smuggling have a disagreement as Barcroft holds them up for more money. These guys are wise-guys and it would have made a great film premise to have their friends evening the score with these goniff cowboys.