Customer Reviews

Range Busters: Saddle Mountain Round-Up

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This is my first range Busters film and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Crash, Dusty and Alibi(and Elmer) ride to the rescue of a cantankerous old rancher who thinks that someone is trying to murder him for his fortune.Turns out the cranky old codger was right and the Range Busters end up switching from Bodyguard mode to Detective mode as they try to solve the mystery of Who Killed the Ornery Old Money Bags.

This movie combines some of the best features of the Old Timey Westerns and the infamous Dark Old House mysteries. The movie features all the rough ridin', shootin' and singing of an old western plus they manage to work in secret passages, missing fortunes, trap doors and a )kind of) ghostly haunting. The suspect list is long and full of red herrings and the true identity of the killer is not revealed until about a minute or two is left in the film, right after a harrowing chase scene.

"Alibi" Terhune and his ventriloquist dummy Elmer supply most of the laughs. I have to say it's both funny and a bit odd to see Terhune talking with Elmer when there isn't anyone else in the room. Elmer is treated almost like he's another person and even gets billing in the credits. But he deserves it. That little guy is a hoot.

There's also a few laughs supplied by the folksy, but lazy sheriff, a few songs by Dusty and some stunts by good old Crash.

This movie was obviously made to entertain the "sitck and hoop" set, but adults can have a lot of fun with it too. I'm not sure if all the Range Busters movies are this much fun, but i'm looking forward to finding out.

Monogram Pictures presents "SADDLE MOUNTAIN ROUND UP" (29 August 1941) (61 mins/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- With the success of Republic's Three Mesquiteers, several forces came together around 1940 to develop a new 'trigger trio' for the screen --- The star was Ray 'Crash' Corrigan, a producer named George W. Weeks and Monogram Pictures --- With a character of his own name. Ray starred in 20 of the 24 films in this series between 1940 and 1943 --- The Range Busters was clearly a lower budget copy of the Mesquiteers --- Big, muscular Ray 'Crash' Corrigan was the lead, the second lead was John 'Dusty' King, a big band singer (Ben Bernie Orchestra) with a reasonably good baritone, who would vocalize a tune or two in each film --- And comic relief was in the hands of ventriloquist Max 'Alibi' Terhune (and his wise-cracking dummy Elmer --- Monogram would distribute the Range Busters but not be directly involved in the productions --- The deal gave Corrigan a substantial share of the film profits (in an interview years later, Ray said he received 50%).

Under the production staff of:
S. Roy Luby - Director
George W. Weeks - Producer
William L. Nolte - Screenwriter
Robert C. Cline - Cinematographer
Frank Sanucci - Composer (Music Score)
Roy Claire - Editor

The story line and plot, Our heroes Ray "Crash" Corrigan (Himself), Dusty (John King) and Alibi (Max Terhune) members of the Range Busters are sent for by Magpie Harper (John Elliott) as someone is trying to kill him --- When Crash and Dusty arrive to find him murdered, then Alibi who was bringing the Range Busters' cattle drive money fails to show up --- Dusty accidently finds a secret mine tunnel that leads to Alibi whom he sets free --- Returning they see the murderer who flees but Crash is nearby to chase after him --- Like the first entry in the "Range Busters" series, the 1941-42 season opener is very much a whodunit as a B-Western.can be, but enjoyable just the same.

the cast includes:
Ray Corrigan ... Crash Corrigan
John 'Dusty' King ... Dusty King
Max Terhune ... Alibi Terhune
Lita Conway ... Nancy Henderson
Jack Mulhall ... Dan Freeman (lawyer)
Willie Fung ... Fang Way
John Elliott ... 'Magpie' Harper
George Chesebro ... Foreman Blackie Stone
Jack Holmes ... Sheriff
Steve Clark ... Jack Henderson
Carl Mathews ... Bill (henchman at shack)
Elmer ... Elmer, Alibi's Dummy
Harold Goodman ... Cousin Harold (singing / comic ranch hand (as 'Cousin' Harold Goodman)

BIOS:
1. Ray 'Crash' Corrigan (aka: Raymond Benard)
Date of Birth: 14 February 1902 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Date of Death: 10 August 1976 - Brookings Harbor, Oregon

2. John 'Dusty' King (aka: Miller McLeod Everson)
Date of Birth: 11 July 1909 - Cincinnati, Ohio
Date of Death: 11 November 1987 - San Diego, California

3. Max Terhune
Date of Birth: 12 February 1891 - Anderson, Indiana
Date of Death: 5 June 1973 - Los Angeles, California

If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure check out other western double features --- Ask Amazon.Com to carry the volumes as they are not available on Amazon as of yet --- you can order and pick up your copy now from VCI Entertainment

RANGE BUSTERS WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURE FROM VCI ENTERTAINMENT
VOL 1 -- WRANGLER'S ROOST & SADDLE MOUNTAIN ROUNDUP - (VCI #7243)
VOL.2 -- FUGITIVE VALLEY & THE KID'S LAST RIDE - (VCI #7349)

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: 61 min on VHS/DVD ~ Monogram Pictures ~ (2/27/2007)