Customer Reviews

Down Texas Way [VHS]

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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Monogram Pictures present "DOWN TEXAS WAY" (22 May 1942) (digitally remastered), although The Rough Riders had a short run, they turned out some of the best B-Westerns ever to grace the Saturday Matinee screen...our story is the sixth of eight in the Rough Riders series is a better than average oater.

Under the production staff of:
Howard P. Bretherton - Director
Scott R. Dunlap - Producer
Jess Bowers - Screenwriter
Harry Neumann - Cinematographer
Carl Pierson - Editor

The story line and plot, three U.S. Marshals are working undercover Buck, Tim and Sandy who once again don't know each other from adam..looks like one of them Sandy is in trouble for being accused of a murder he didn't commit --- could be there's lynching in mind for Sandy, Buck and Tim need to put on their six guns and bring the vllains to justice --- as usual Harry Woods is behind all the wrong doing and for once Glenn Strange is on the side of the law as Sheriff --- Dave O'Brien and Luana Walters and Lois Austin make this an interesting threesome --- don't miss any of the Rough Riders features loaded with action that will leave you wanting more of his B-Western adventures

the cast includes:
Buck Jones ... U. S. Marshal Buck Roberts
Tim McCoy ... U. S. Marshal Tim McCall
Raymond Hatton ... U. S. Marshal Sandy Hopkins
Luana Walters ... Mary Hopkins
Dave O'Brien ... Dave Dodge
Lois Austin ... Stella (posing as Ann Dodge)
Glenn Strange ... Sheriff Trump
Harry Woods ... Bert Logan
Tom London ... Bartender Pete
John Merton ... Henchman Steve
Silver ... Himself, Buck's Horse
Ben Corbett ... Henchman
Frank Ellis ... Henchman Red
Reed Howes ... Henchman Joe
Milburn Morante ... Hotel Swamper
Artie Ortego ... Henchman
Wally West ... Townsman

Special footnote, actor /producer Buck Jones made over 164 feature films beginning with "Western Blood" (1918/Silent) with a bit part...Jones final film was "Dawn on the Great Divide" (1942)...with his famed horse "Silver:, Jones was one of the most successful and popular B-Western actors of the '20s, '30s and '40s, at one time receiving more fan mail than any actor in the world...was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1973

Second special footnote actor Tim McCoy in real life was a sharpshooter and famed for his fast draw...was an expert on the Old West also an authority on Indian folklore could converse in Indian sign language...McCoy was inducted into the "Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum" in 1973, also inducted into "The Cowboy Hall of Fame" in 1974

Final special footnote, one of my favorite character actors was Johnny Mack's sidekick Raymond Hatton (1887-1971) as Marshall Sandy Hopkins who appeared from 1943 and made 45 films for Monogram Pictures...Hatton who first appeared on film in "Tragic Love" (1909-Silent/unconfirmed), "Oliver Twist" (1917), "The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), "The Squaw Man" (1931), "Law and Order" (1932)...during the '30s & '40s he played the comical sidekick for Johnny Mack Brown and Bob Livingston...went on to join Buck Jones and Tim McCoy in the "Rough Riders" series...Hatton worked right up to his last film "In Cold Blood" (1967). . . . . .meanwhile this is an exciting Rough Riders western provided by Monogram Pictures during their heyday of the early '40s.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIOS:
1. Buck Jones (aka: Charles Frederick Gebhart)
Date of Birth4 December 1889 - Vincennes, Indiana (some sources say 12 December 1891)
Date of Death: 30 November 1942 - Boston, Massachusetts (fire)

2. Tim McCoy (aka: Timothy John Fitzgerald McCoy)
Date of Birth: 10 April 1891 - Saginaw, Michigan
Date of Death: 29 January 1978 - Nogales, Arizona

3. Raymond Hatton (aka: Raymond William Hatton)
Date of Birth: 7 July 1887 - Red Oak, Iowa
Date of Death: 21 October 1971 - Palmdale, California

Check out other Buck Jones titles available on VHS from VCI:
1. Black Aces (1937)
2. Dawn on the Great Divide (1942)
3. Down Texas Way (1942)
4. Gunman from Bodie (1941)
5. Renfrew of the Royal Mounted (1937)
6. Riders of Death Valley (1941)
7. Silver Spurs (1936)
8. Six Gun Man (1946)
9. South of the Rio Grande (1932)

Also available from VCI Entertaiment:
ROUGH RIDERS WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURE (Tim McCoy, Buck Jones and Raymond Hatton)
1. Vol. 1 - Arizona Bound/Gunman from Bodie (VCI #7241) (DVD)
2. Vol. 2 - Ghost Town Law/Below the Border (VCI #7264) (DVD)
3. Vol. 3 - Forbidden Trails/Down Texas Way (VCI #7274) (DVD)
4. Dawn on the Great Divide (VCI #7219) (DVD)

In 1941 the "Rough Riders" series began with Buck as Marshal Buck Roberts, Tim McCoy was Marshal Tim McCall and Raymond Hatton was Marshal Sandy Hopkins for Monogram Pictures:

1. ARIZONA BOUND (Monogram, 1941)
2. THE GUNMAN FROM BODIE (Monogram, 1941)
3. FORBIDDEN TRAILS (Monogram, 1941)
4. BELOW THE BORDER (Monogram, 1942)
5. GHOST TOWN LAW (Monogram, 1942)
6. DOWN TEXAS WAY (Monogram, 1942)
7. RIDERS OF THE WEST (Monogram, 1942)
8. WEST OF THE LAW (Monogram, 1942)

Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") as they have rekindled my interest once again for B-Westerns and Serials --- If you're into the memories of B-Westerns with high drama, this is the one you've been anxiously waiting for --- please stand up and take a bow Western Classics --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 56 min on DVD/VHS ~ Monogram Pictures ~ (9/27/2005)

Very bad resolution - Buck Jones was my boyhood idol and it was a shame to see this movie of him in a film in such a bad condition. Box said "Digitally Restored" - but I very much doubt that - due to the terrible resolution.

This Critics' Choice DVD of the famous Monogram trio Series, The Rough Riders, contains the last
two (of eight) features starring Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, and Raymond Hatton. If not the best two,
these were certainly up to the high standard maintained throughout, and in this case the CCD edition
has decent sight and sound--not always the case in Triple Feature #2.
"Dawn on the Great Divide," the third western in this set, also features Buck Jones, who died in a
terrible night club fire before it was released. Tim McCoy had gone to war, to be replaced by Rex Allen.
But even though the character played by Allen, Jack Carson, entered the story independently, Sandy Hopkins
(Hatton) was now Buck Roberts' (Jones) explicit partner from the beginning. More important, the scenes
shifted from the familiar Monogram Ranch to broader and more richly timbered settings, the usual writer and director came forth with a more adult and complex story, and the result was a sincere effort at an
A-western. There are several important women in the story, including one who dies in childbirth, and
another who aims to establish a gambling house. The marauding Indians turn out to be white thugs in
disguise. And "Buck Roberts" shows serious symptoms of falling in love. In this edition we are treated
to two musical numbers, both sung by the youngest of the heroines, "Rock of Ages," and "Beautiful
Dreamer." I bought this and Triple Feature #2 to see if I liked the Rough Riders as much as I did over sixty years ago; as expected, I do. But "Dawn on the Great Divide" proved something quite different--a fine bonus.

If you like old westerns, you'll enjoy this movie, they always have plenty of action. You don't have good western movies anymore hardly, these old one's are always in style. You will enjoy this one.

Based on a review I read somewhere on Amazon I purchased all three Rough Rider DVD's in Critics Choice "Digitally Restored" versions to replace my Alpha copies. It was a waste of money, I can't tell a bit of difference in them. Some of the movies are a LITTLE better than others but none of them are great. These are super westerns, well written, acted, directed and deserve much better than this. The "Digitally Restored" is very misleading. The Hopalong Cassidy films by Platinum are still the best I have seen, clear, sharp, bright and good sound.

22 May 1942
57 minutes black and white


The Rough Riders always watch the trail,
The Rough Riders Never Fail.


This was #6 of what they call an 8 series set of Rough Rider's films. Most of us that enjoy riding the trails with these Rough Riders will have all 8 of them. And as far as the series goes, this one isn't a bad film at all. It may be dark in places and difficult to see some things but overall this is a good solid western from those days of old. In fact it was released a year b4 I was born!

Out trio is brought together again due to Sandy's birthday at the Hopkins Hotel in Texas, a party as the movie says at ending almost turned into a necktie party for him. As we all know though the 3 U.S. Marshals will soon have the town under control. We even end up with justice for the 'boss' crook (Harry Woods) and a female (Lois Austin) going to prison to boot. And who could overlook all 6 foot 5 inches of Sheriff Trump an actual westerner off screen (Glenn Strange)?

All's under control with Buck heading back to his Arizona ranch, and Tim heading north to Wyoming, with Sandy to follow Buck to Arizona for a wedding party for the two lovers (Mary Hopkins & Dave Dodge). As usual with these films several familiar B movie actors will be included in the cast, easily recognizable, these stock actor give outstanding performances. Sadly, in November of 1942 Buck Rogers would die a hero in the oft described fire. Of all the 166 films Buck was in he only had 3 left to make before he hung up his spurs for good.

Another great film from the era of the so called B movie.

Semper Fi.

VCI Entertainment and Monogram Pictures present "Down Texas Way" (1942) (digitally remastered), although The Rough Riders had a short run, they turned out some of the best B-Westerns ever to grace the Saturday Matinee screen...our story is the sixth of eight in the Rough Riders series is a better than average oater...three U.S. Marshals are working undercover Buck, Tim and Sandy who once again don't know each other from adam..looks like one of them Sandy is in trouble for being accused of a murder he didn't commit...could be there's lynching in mind for Sandy, Buck and Tim need to put on their six guns and bring the vllains to justice...as usual Harry Woods is behind all the wrong doing and for once Glenn Strange is on the side of the law as Sheriff...Dave O'Brien and Luana Walters and Lois Austin make this an interesting threesome... just remember double thrills, chills, mystery and suspense...hitting the bull's eye with excitement...don't miss any of the Rough Riders features loaded with action that will leave you wanting more of his B-Western adventures

Under director Howard P. Bretherton, producer Scott R. Dunlap, original story by Jess Bowers ...the cast include Buck Jones (Marshal Buck Roberts), Tim McCoy (Marshal Tim McCall), Raymond Hatton (Sandy Hopkins), Luana Walters (Mary Hopkins), Dave O'Brien (Dave Dodge), Glenn Strange (Sheriff Trump), Lois Austin (Stella/posing as Ann Dodge), Harry Woods ( Bert Logan), Tom London ( Pete the Bartender), John Merton (Steve/henchman), Ben Corbett (henchman), Reed Howes (Joe/henchman), Frank Ellis (Red/deputy), Silver (Buck Jones, wonder horse). . . . . . . . .special footnote, actor /producer Buck Jones made over 164 feature films beginning with "Western Blood" (1918/Silent) with a bit part...Jones final film was "Dawn on the Great Divide" (1942)...with his famed horse "Silver:, Jones was one of the most successful and popular B-Western actors of the '20s, '30s and '40s, at one time receiving more fan mail than any actor in the world...was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1973. . . . . . . . . .second special footnote actor Tim McCoy in real life was a sharpshooter and famed for his fast draw...was an expert on the Old West also an authority on Indian folklore could converse in Indian sign language...McCoy was inducted into the "Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum" in 1973, also inducted into "The Cowboy Hall of Fame" in 1974.. . . . . . . . final special footnote, one of my favorite character actors was Johnny Mack's sidekick Raymond Hatton (1887-1971) as Marshall Sandy Hopkins who appeared from 1943 and made 45 films for Monogram Pictures...Hatton who first appeared on film in "Tragic Love" (1909-Silent/unconfirmed), "Oliver Twist" (1917), "The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), "The Squaw Man" (1931), "Law and Order" (1932)...during the '30s & '40s he played the comical sidekick for Johnny Mack Brown and Bob Livingston...went on to join Buck Jones and Tim McCoy in the "Rough Riders" series...Hatton worked right up to his last film "In Cold Blood" (1967). . . . . .meanwhile this is an exciting Rough Riders western provided by Monogram Pictures during their heyday of the early '40s.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIOS:
1. Buck Jones (aka: Charles Frederick Gebhart)
Birth Date: 12/04/1889 - Vincennes, Indiana
Died: 11/30/1942 - Boston, MA (fire)
2. Tim McCoy (aka: Timothy John Fitzgerald McCoy)
Birth Date: 4/10/1891 - Saginaw, Michigan
Died: 1/29/1978 - Nogales, Arizona
3. Raymond Hatton (aka: Raymond William Hatton)
Birth Date: 7/07/1887 - Red Oak, Iowa
Died: 10/21/1971 - Palmdale, California

Check out other Buck Jones titles available on VHS from VCI:
1. Black Aces (1937)
2. Dawn on the Great Divide (1942)
3. Down Texas Way (1942)
4. Gunman from Bodie (1941)
5. Renfrew of the Royal Mounted (1937)
6. Riders of Death Valley (1941)
7. Silver Spurs (1936)
8. Six Gun Man (1946)
9. South of the Rio Grande (1932)

If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure check out other western double features with Buck Jones:

ROUGH RIDERS WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURES:
1. Vol. 1 - Arizona Bound/Gunman from Bodie (VCI #7241) (DVD)
2. Vol. 2 - Ghost Town Law/Below the Border (VCI #7264) (DVD)
3. Vol. 3 - Forbidden Trails/Down Texas Way (VCI #7274) (DVD)
4. Dawn on the Great Divide (VCI #7219) (DVD)

Ask Amazon.Com to carry the above titles if they are not available as of yet...you can order and pick up your copy now from VCI Entertainment...if you enjoyed "Down Texas Way" (1942), why not pick up other copies of Buck Jones features.

In 1941 the "Rough Riders" series began with Buck as Marshal Buck Roberts, Tim McCoy was Marshal Tim McCall and Raymond Hatton was Marshal Sandy Hopkins for Monogram Pictures:

1. ARIZONA BOUND (Monogram, 1941)
2. THE GUNMAN FROM BODIE (Monogram, 1941)
3. FORBIDDEN TRAILS (Monogram, 1941)
4. BELOW THE BORDER (Monogram, 1942)
5. GHOST TOWN LAW (Monogram, 1942)
6. DOWN TEXAS WAY (Monogram, 1942)
7. RIDERS OF THE WEST (Monogram, 1942)
8. WEST OF THE LAW (Monogram, 1942)

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "Down Texas Way" (1942),
the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward
to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s
& '40s...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there
are plenty of copies available on VHS, stay tuned once again for top notch
action mixed with deadly adventure from the "King of Serials" VCI...just
the way we like 'em

Total Time: 57 min on DVD/VHS ~ VCI Entertainment #7274 ~ (11/20/1997)