Enjoyable Hoppy movie, not the best, but OK enough.
Some nitpicking comments: I found it excruciating to see that woman pursuing California Carlson. Gabby Hayes is usually great. The other old sidekicks become wearing much of the time.
I didn't count, but Hoppy must have shot dead over a dozen bad guys. Kind of bloody. The attempt to hang Lucky was also on the violent side. In one poorly staged scene, three bad guys have their guns pointed at Hoppy, but he draws and shoots them all!
**Spoilers.*** Most important, I found the story line about switching the silver and the routes very confusing and improbable. It was never explained, to my satisfaction anyway. When they loaded the wagon, Lucky says "That's enough of the real silver." No explanation given, no mention of fake silver. Then when it looks like the bad guys made off with the silver after a switch, it turns out Carlson by stupid bungling, only loaded fake silver! Then towards the end, Hoppy somehow manages to deliver notes to the bad guys (to make it look like betrayal) signed —would you believe it?— "one of the boys".
Some nitpicking comments: I found it excruciating to see that woman pursuing California Carlson. Gabby Hayes is usually great. The other old sidekicks become wearing much of the time.
I didn't count, but Hoppy must have shot dead over a dozen bad guys. Kind of bloody. The attempt to hang Lucky was also on the violent side. In one poorly staged scene, three bad guys have their guns pointed at Hoppy, but he draws and shoots them all!
**Spoilers.*** Most important, I found the story line about switching the silver and the routes very confusing and improbable. It was never explained, to my satisfaction anyway. When they loaded the wagon, Lucky says "That's enough of the real silver." No explanation given, no mention of fake silver. Then when it looks like the bad guys made off with the silver after a switch, it turns out Carlson by stupid bungling, only loaded fake silver! Then towards the end, Hoppy somehow manages to deliver notes to the bad guys (to make it look like betrayal) signed —would you believe it?— "one of the boys".