Customer Reviews

Hopalong Cassidy: Leather Burners [VHS]

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In 1943, following eight months without a release, the William Boyd-starring Hopalong Cassidy Western series moves to United Artists, a company devoid of those productions required to satisfy contractual conditions. U.A. signs a pact with Paramount wherein over twenty films in the can and ready for theatre showings were transferred from the latter studio to United Artists, these including the Cassidy pictures, such as this one, LEATHER BURNERS, that failed to gain widespread audience approval, principally due to a scattershot screenplay that is bogged down with unsympathetic plotting twists. A well-worn Western genre theme subject: cattle rustling, becomes a keynote for this work that is nicely detailed during its first half, largely due to the able direction of veteran of silents Joseph E. Henabery, at the helm for his sole sound feature, shot at and near Lone Pine, California, (especially in the adjacent Alabama Hills region for the many outdoor action sequences), as well as in Hollywood's Bronson Cave. Hoppy's latest protégé is Johnny Travers, former ranch hand at Cassidy's Bar 20 spread, and it is Johnny, played by Jay Kirby, who calls for Cassidy and his saddle pard California Carlson (Andy Clyde) to aid him with the mentioned rustling predicament. Hopalong and California pretend to work for Dan Slack (Victor Jory) as a ploy intended to discover a mastermind behind the illegal goings-on, but there are too many plotline threads for even this dauntless pair to effectively tackle, and this surfeit, in addition to a skimpy budget, sinks the piece during its second half. Nevertheless, some interesting elements appear during the course of this essentially basic Western programmer: it marks the third appearance in a Hopalong Cassidy film for each of two young players beginning their careers, Robert Mitchum and George Reeves; it profits additionally from the final score composed for a feature motion picture by Samuel Kaylin. Jory handily garners acting laurels for his smooth performance as a leading representative of the Forces of Evil.

United Artists presents "LEATHER BURNERS" (28 May 1943) (67 mins/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- One of the most outstanding series of westerns began in 1935 from Paramount Pictures "Hopalong Cassidy", under the guiding hand of producer Harry "Pop" Sherman --- continued well into the '40s proved to be the most successful 'B' Westerns ever made --- based on Clarence E. Mulford's stories, they strived in changing Cassidy's image, which was both original and influential --- the hero, played by William Lawrence Boyd, was mature and a man of his word --- the plots were solid with a sudden burst of climactic action in the last reel, usually a frantic chase backed by tension building music.

Under the production staff of:
Joseph Henaberry - Director
Lewis Rachmil - Producer
Harry Sherman - Producer
Jo Pagano - Screenwriter
Russell Harlan - Cinematographer
Samuel Kaylin - Composer (Music Score)
Irvin Talbot - Musical Direction/Supervision
Carroll Lewis - Editor
Ralph Berger - Production Designer
Bliss Lomax - Short Story Author
Elise Lomax - Short Story Author

Our story line and plot, Rustled cattle is he plot of this Hoppy Adventure...Johnny Travers (Kirby) sends for his old pal and foreman of the Bar 20 to help find the mysteriously vanishing cattle...Hoppy's keen senses immediately suspect Dan Slack (Jory) and he is in cahoots with Sam Bucktoe (Givot) who uses his mine to keep stolen cattle...is this case to tough for Hoppy...can he clear himself of a murder charge...will our hero in black find out the truth and put things right...don't go away we're about to go into action and burn some leather!--- Hopalong Cassidy Westerns of the 1940s, fast-paced, appropriately mysterious, and featuring good performances from the always watchable Victor Jory, always a favorite in the character actor department--- An impossibly young Robert Mitchum, in only his second film, plays one of Victor Jory's henchmen

the cast includes:
William Boyd ... Hopalong Cassidy
Andy Clyde ... California Carlson
Jay Kirby ... Johnny Travers
Victor Jory ... Dan Slack
George Givot ... Sam Bucktoe
Ellanora Needles ... Sharon Longstreet (as Shelley Spencer)
Bobby Larson ... Bobby Longstreet
George Reeves ... Harrison Brooke
Wally Wales ... Telegrapher Lafe (as Hal Taliaferro)
Forbes Murray ... Bart Gailey

BIOS:
1. William Boyd
Date of Birth: 5 June 1895 - Hendrysburg, Ohio
Date of Death: 12 September 1972 - Laguna Beach, California

2. Andy Clyde
Date of Birth: 25 March 1892 - Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland, UK
Date of Death: 18 May 1967 - Los Angeles, California

3. Jay Kirby
Date of Birth: 28 January 1920 - Missouri
Date of Death: 30 July 1964 - Los Angeles, California

Hoppy's interaction with California Carlson (Andy Clyde) is always a shot in the arm with his down-to-earth humor and sentimentality, theses scenes are pure Americana! Boyd, with his silver hair, black clothes and white horse (Topper) rode into our lives and we've never been the same since --- your children and grandchildren will enjoy this clean wholesome entertainment --- Hoppy always wore two silver white handle six shooters, never drank or smoked, when the good guys always won and the moral to the story was fair-play -- outstanding role model.

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 --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 67 min on VHS/DVD ~ United Artists ~ (6/01/1997)