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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Hopalong Cassidy Series ... Wide Open Town (1941) ... Paramount", October 29, 2006
Paramount Pictures presents "WIDE OPEN TOWN" (8 August 1941) (79 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:
Lesley Selander - Director
Harry Sherman - Producer
J. Benton Cheney - Screenwriter
Harry Jacobs - Screenwriter
Russell Harlan - Cinematographer
Sherman A. Rose - Cinematographer
John Leipold - Composer (Music Score)
John M. Leopold - Musical Direction/Supervision
Irvin Talbot - Musical Direction/Supervision / Composer (Music Score)
Carroll Lewis - Editor
Ralph Berger - Art Director
Lewis Rachmil - Associate Producer
Our story line and plot, Belle Langtry (Evelyn Brent) and her saloon is a front for Steve Fraser (Victory Jory) and his gang of cattle rustlers...Hoppy is made sheriff after stopping a gang from wrecking the towns newspapers printing press....Hoppy with help from the Bar 20 boys vow to clean up this town and all the outlaws it protects...Hoppy comes up with a plan to trap one of the rustlers, let him escape so he will lead them to the rest of the gang and the Bar 20 stolen cattle...Victor Jory is at his nastiest with a strong supporting cast makes this B-Western almost an A! --- Wide Open Town is a remake (occasionally shot-for-shot as with the single insert of the bar girls) of the thirties Hopalong Cassidy Returns (1936) with Evelyn Brent in the same role and Morris Ankrum promoted from heavy to to upstanding newspaper man --- Comparing them, it's possible to see the series shift from Harry Sherman's notion of a realist William S. Hart cycle to the kids' heroics Boyd favored --- Hoppy is the ex Sheriff who cleaned up Santa Fe visits the troubled town and characteristically decides - "I'd like to help.", Soon he's disposing of henchman Roy Barcroft by flinging the raw liquor he insists Hoppy drink instead of the usual sarsaparilla, in the low life's face. "I did invite him out of town, didn't I?" --- There's the requisite action with the added pleasure of Hoppy getting fighting mad and taking it out on Victor Jory --- .Locations are everything with The Mount Mitchell, Devils Marbles, Lone Pine scenery, the Wells Fargo box robbery at the rail station, the cattle herd providing foreground action at the hideout, the busy western street and saloon full of costumed extras are all spot on --- Throw in a strong supporting cast well chosen, makes this a vintage B Western
the cast includes:
William Boyd ... Hopalong Cassidy
Russell Hayden ... Lucky Jenkins
Andy Clyde ... Clarence 'California' Carlson
Evelyn Brent ... Belle Langtry
Victor Jory ... Steve Fraser
Morris Ankrum ... Jim Stuart
Cara Williams ... Joan Stuart (as Bernice Kay)
Kenneth Harlan ... Tom Wilson
Roy Barcroft ... Henchman Red
Glenn Strange ... Henchman Ed Stark
Ed Cassidy ... Brad Jackson
Jack Rockwell ... Rancher (Fake drunk)
BIOS:
1. William Boyd
Date of Birth: 5 June 1895 - Hendrysburg, Ohio
Date of Death: 12 September 1972 - Laguna Beach, California
2. Russell Hayden
Date of Birth: 12 June 1912 - Chico, California
Date of Death: 9 June 1981 - Palm Springs, California
3. Andy Clyde
Date of Birth: 25 March 1892 - Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland, UK
Date of Death: 18 May 1967 - 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: 64 min on VHS/DVD ~ Paramount Pictures ~ (12/01/1999)
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