Customer Reviews

Hopalong Cassidy: Sunset Trail [VHS]

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In his book, The Films of Hopalong Cassidy, Francis Nevins suggests that Sunset Trail has its roots in the ranting of Clarence E. Mulford, creator of the Cassidy saga. The Eastern author frequently voiced his dissatisfaction over the realization of his cowboy hero in the movies. After suffering through his aspersions for almost four years, someone in Hollywood decided to teach Mr. Mulford a thing or two about the movies. The result is the wonderful Hopalong parody, Sunset Trail.

Mulford is merrily satirized in the character of E. Prescott Furbush, an author of western novels. Furbush, who never having been west of Flatbush, nevertheless has gained fame recording the deeds of the western desperado, Deadeye Dan. After years of fashioning dime novel prose, the fussy little hack books a stay at a dude ranch to savor the "real" West. But his antics pale beside those of another dude, William H. Cassidy.

Hoppy has been sent to deal with land grabbers and assumes the identity of the Harold Cassidy, an inept Easterner as cover. Forget the plot; it's predictable. What is not routine is Bill Boyd's performance. The jaunty Harold with the swagger in his walk and a gleam in his eye is reminiscent of the sharp-dressed, high-living Boyd of the 1920's. He deftly handles the comedy and energetically pokes fun at the Cassidy image. One of the most outstanding moments comes when Harold offers to compare surgical scars with a female guest who has been regaling Furbush with her complicated health problems.

This episode may not appeal to everyone's sense of humor, but for me it is a final glimpse of Bill Boyd, being as wickedly funny as he is handsome before he permanently transforms himself into the stalwart cowboy hero.

Paramount Pictures present "SUNSET TRAIL" (1939) (69 mins/B&W) --- our story opens with a murder of a rancher friend and Hoppy goes undercover as a dude who can't ride, shoot and even walk properly to find out what happened ... Gabby Hayes and Russell Hayden join in the fun as Hoppy plays poker to win back some stolen bills ... Robert Fiske is great as the villain who thinks he has the best of this tenderfoot Hoppy ... the final scene is exciting, an all around oater from beginning to end, don't pass this one up.

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.

In all, Boyd made sixty-six Hopalong Cassidy Westerns, early films included Uncle Ben and Windy Halliday, both played by veteran actor George "Gabby" Hayes...was a steady favorite as a hitchrack, was chosen five years in succession as one of the 10 best money-making Western sidekick stars...like most western comics, had his share of narrow escapes being thrown from his horse, burned by blanks...but that was all in a days work...his one-liners will never be forgotten..."You're dern tootin'"..."Never trust a female, they're pure poyzin"...or my all-time favorite ~ "Persnickgordy Women"...this crusty old-timer stole many a scene from John Wayne, Randolph Scott and yes even William Boyd.

William Lawrence Boyd, known as Hop-A-Long Cassidy never wears any outfit except his charactertistic black shirt, trousers, boots and Stetson...Hoppy rode, grinned and fought his way into our hearts on the silver screen and then right into our living rooms with a new inventions called...Television! ... Great Cast of Jimmy Ellison (Johnny Nelson) always hot-headed & getting into trouble...but the scene stealer is George "Gabby" Hayes, as the old-timer Uncle Ben, gives the a film shot in the arm with his down-to-earth humor and sentimentality, as the father figure to Hoppy the interaction with Boyd's character is pure Americana!

Must mention that it was sure good to see one of my all-time-favorite sidekicks George "Gabby" Hayes throw in with Hoppy ... The added special features are simply great ~ Coming Attractions:"Hopalong Cassidy:Public Hero #1", plus a poster gallery, still gallery and my favorite is original materials from "Merchandising King of the Cowboys" museum exhibit. Hope "Image Entertainment" will keep releasing this outstanding series featuring Hopalong Cassidy in glorious black & white. I'll be standing in line for the next adventure with the Bar-20 wranglers ... William Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy), they'll never be another like him.

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...gotta love it!

Another pick for "Pop" Sherman was a new sidekick for the Cassidy films ... a newcomer Lucky Jenkins, played by Russell Hayden had his job cut out for him, with Boyd (as the hero) and Andy Clyde (California Carlson) for comedy, left the field of romance and action wide open, Hayden filled those "boots" perfectly.

William Boyd was my hero, this collection of his films are perfect, clear and give me hope for the future. Our youth should have such a hero to look up to today. Must mention the fact that I still miss one of my all-time-favorite sidekicks though, George "Gabby" Hayes, you're durn tootin'!

Paramount and Clarence E. Mulford's fictional western character Hopalong Cassidy comes to life through William Boyd as Hoppy and Andy Clyde as California with films from the '40s...horse operas directed by Lesley Selander and George Archainbaud...some of the best hard riding and smokin' gunplay that ever came across the big screen from the Bar 20 boys ... just the way we like 'em.