In the late 1940s and early 50s, many old series B-westerns were chopped to pieces in order to fit them into one hour time slots on TV. Unfortunately, in some cases, the original longer versions were lost. Fortunately, in the case of Hopalong Cassidy's film, the original excised footage was saved and recently restored. Fortunately, the copy of "Law of the Pampas" that I just saw on YouTube is one of the restored ones...running at 71 minutes instead of the much shorter 54 minutes.
When the story begins, a town out west is being terrorized by criminals. The local sheriff is ineffective in stopping them and soon you learn why...he doesn't realize that his own mother, the sweet Ma Burton, is the gang leader! Because of all the crime, a US Marshall is being sent there from Santa Fe...and that Marshall is Hoppy. But he doesn't want to arrive in town as a lawman....and instead poses as a member of a traveling medicine show. To help Hoppy is Lucky...who, once again, is often more a hindrance than a help! In fact, in most of the films I've seen with Lucky, he's been anything but lucky for Hoppy! A better nickname might be 'Blabber-mouth'!
This B-western is a bit better than average because I really loved the villain--Ma was very intelligently written and well acted by Marjorie Rambeau. Well worth seeing.
When the story begins, a town out west is being terrorized by criminals. The local sheriff is ineffective in stopping them and soon you learn why...he doesn't realize that his own mother, the sweet Ma Burton, is the gang leader! Because of all the crime, a US Marshall is being sent there from Santa Fe...and that Marshall is Hoppy. But he doesn't want to arrive in town as a lawman....and instead poses as a member of a traveling medicine show. To help Hoppy is Lucky...who, once again, is often more a hindrance than a help! In fact, in most of the films I've seen with Lucky, he's been anything but lucky for Hoppy! A better nickname might be 'Blabber-mouth'!
This B-western is a bit better than average because I really loved the villain--Ma was very intelligently written and well acted by Marjorie Rambeau. Well worth seeing.