Pals of the Saddle (1938)

The Three Mesquiteers tangle with secret agents in a race to keep the villains from smuggling deadly monium gas to foreign governments. If nothing else, the Three Mesquiteers series "modernized" the Western. This movie begins with a blazing WWI battle scene depicting European armies pounding each other. Historical details are vague. Maybe it's some other European conflict. Anyway, the 3M encounter a '30s Emma Peel-type secret agent at a dude ranch. She is woking for the U. S. Secret Service. Depicting a strong, independent woman is another positive innovation of this little picture. Republic Studios was excellent at producing fast moving B Westerns that stressed outdoor action. Intrusive musical numbers were thankfully absent in the 3M series. Lullaby (Max Terhune) provides ventriloquist comic relief via Elmer, the dummy. Stony (John Wayne), Tucson (Ray Corrigan), and Lullaby are a three man army that stand off the bad guys until the Border Division of the 81st Cavalry arrives. This could be the only sighting of WWI era cavalry in a B Western. Before he became a major star, John Wayne was a familiar face in B Westerns. The VHS edition of this flick is recorded in the EP mode. This is great Saturday matinee fun. Today's high-tech youth may be a little puzzled at first, but cowboys and blazing six-guns can interest even the most plugged-in kids around. Saddle up and ride, pardner. ;-)

Republic Pictures presents "PALS OF THE SADDLE" (28 August 1938) (54 mins/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -The series was based on a series of western novels by William Colt MacDonald, which began with "Law of the .45's" in 1933 --The Three Mesquiteers is the umbrella title for a series of 51 western B-movies released between 1936 and 1943, including 8 films starring John Wayne --The name was a play on The Three Musketeers, and each film featured a trio of stars --The series blended the traditional Western period with more modern elements, which was not unknown with other B-Western films and serials --Towards the end of the series, during World War II, the trio of cowboys were opposing Nazis --The Three Mesquiteers series was extremely popular at the time of its release --The series was the only one of its kind to be specifically named and ranked in contemporary polls of the top western film stars --For example, from 1937 to the end of the series in 1943, The Motion Picture Herald consistently ranked the series in its top ten, reaching a peak of 5th place in 1938, when a pre-Stagecoach John Wayne was the series lead

Under the production staff of:

George Sherman Director

Betty Burbridge Screenwriter

Stanley Roberts Screenwriter

Reggie Lanning Cinematographer

Cy Feuer Musical Direction/Supervision / Composer (Music Score)

Tony Martinelli Editor

William A. Berke Associate Producer

Our story line and plot, Our heroes Stony Brooke (John Wayne), Tucson Smith (Ray "Crash" Corrigan) and Lullaby Joslin (Max Terhune) members of the Three Mesquiteers returning a lost item to Ann (Doreen McKay), Stony arrives just two men shoot each other --Ann is a Government Agent and she gets Stony to replace her now dead partner --An important chemical is being smuggled out of the country and she sends Stony to the storage facility posing as the foreign Agent --He fools the guards but the boss arrives to expose the hoax and Stony is made a prisoner --Director George Sherman paces this 54-minute effort like a Republic serial, with excellent results --Ray Corrigan as Tucson Smith does some camera mugging, a comedic style for which he has never been properly acknowledged --John Wayne, is, well, John Wayne, a presence to be reckoned with --The Duke's "Listen Mr. Big Chest" remark to Corrigan as they duel verbally over the femme interest is a great moment. Undoubtedly unscripted --"Pals of the Saddle" is the first of eight Three Mesquiteer series westerns that John Wayne made for Republic's 1938-39 season --During this time, "Stagecoach" would be released, and the rest, as they say, is history --Granted, Max Terhune as Lullaby Joslin has too many "I'll look after the horses!" moments but he is not left to get lost.

the cast includes:

John Wayne ... Stony Brooke

Ray Corrigan ... Tucson Smith

Max Terhune ... Lullaby Joslin

Doreen McKay ... Ann aka Mirandy, Secret Service Agent

Joseph Forte ... Judge Hastings (as Josef Forte)

George Douglas ... Paul Hartman (Foreign Agent)

Frank Milan ... Frank, Secret Service Agent

Ted Adams ... Henry C. Gordon (Smuggler)

Harry Depp ... Hotel Desk Clerk

Dave Weber ... Russian Musician

Don Orlando ... Italian Musician

Charles Knight ... English Musician

Jack Kirk ... Sheriff Johnson

Special footnote -The 32 year old John Wayne was fortunate enough to have talented writers around him to write novels that could be adapted into vehicles for his career, as well as short stories and screenplays that would immortalise him as the American hero --This film is one such example --When you watch this film you're not watching it for the story (like you would do in 'Rio Grande' or 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'), you're watching it to see John Wayne in action --He is the romantic embodiment of what it was like for the settling community to live in the post-civil war era --Despite the fact that most of these westerns distort history, what Wayne delivers gives you access to his humanity --That's what we like about him.

BIOS:

1. John Wayne (aka: Marion Robert Morrison)

Date of Birth: 26 May 1907 Winterset, Iowa

Date of Death: 11 June 1979 Los Angeles, California

2. Ray 'Crash' Corrigan (aka: Raymond Benard)

Date of Birth: 14 February 1902 Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Date of Death: 10 August 1976 Brookings Harbor, Oregon

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

THREE MESQUITEERS WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURES FROM VCI ENTERTAINMENT

VOL 1 -GHOST TOWN GOLD & COME ON COWBOYS (VCI #7215)

VOL 2 -HIT THE SADDLE & HEART OF THE ROCKIES (VCI #7218)

VOL 3 -THE THREE MESQUITEERS & ROARIN' LEAD (VCI #7254)

VOL 4 -PURPLE VIGILANTES & PRAIRIE PIONEERS (VCI #7277)

VOL 5 -OUTLAWS OF SONORA & WEST OF CIMARRON (VCI #7290)

VOL.6 -CALL THE MESQUITEERS & RIDERS OF THE WHISTLING SKULL (VCI #7310)

VOL.7 -GANGS OF SONORA & PIONEERS OF THE WEST (VCI #7321)

VOL.8 -CODE OF THE OUTLAW & OKLAHOMA RENEGADES (VCI #7330)

VOL.9 -GAUCHOS OF EL DORADO & OUTLAWS OF CHEROKEE TRAIL (VCI #7332)

VOL.10 HEROES OF THE SADDLE & THE KANSAS TERRORS (VCI #7337)

VOL.11 RIDERS OF THE RIO GRANDE & SHADOWS ON THE SAGE (VCI #7339)

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: 54 min on VHS/DVD ~ Republic Pictures ~ (4/15/1997)

Buy Pals of the Saddle (1938) Now

Again a Three Mesquiteers Picture so sharp and clear it's like being in the movie theater. The famous trigger trio is here played by young John Wayne, Ray "Crash" Corrigan and Max Terhune. The plot is exciting, the story intelligent and witty and there are lots of great action. Doreen McKay is a very convincing heroine and it is good to see mainstays like Jack Kirk and Ted Adams. This one is highly recommendable for b-western fans and for newcommers who would like to explore the magic of the genre.

Read Best Reviews of Pals of the Saddle (1938) Here

Love the Mesqueteer series. The eight films with John Wayne as "Stony Brook" are my favorites. The music in the Wayne films is the best. Pure B western. I can watch them over and over again. Wish they would put the series out on DVD.

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