ROLL ALONG COWBOY (1938, Principal) Smith Ballew, Cecilia Parker, Stanley Fields. A very good Ballew film. Two cowboys ride to a ranch to collect money they are owed. They find an old woman and her pretty daughter besieged by debts and shady businessmen who plot to force them off the ranch. Our two cowboys stay on to "help out." Nice performances. 16mm.
HAWAIIAN BUCKAROO (1938 Principal) Smith Ballew, Evelyn Knapp, Harry Woods. Smith’s a cowboy swindled into buying worthless land in Hawaii. He ends up broke and working at Knapp’s ranch. But is his land really worthless? Bad guys don’t seem to think so. Cool. 16mm.
PANAMINT’S BAD MEN (1938, Principal/Fox) Smith Ballew, Evelyn Daw, Noah Beery, Sr. A slickly-made, enjoyable Ballew western. This time he’s a marshal out to round up a gang of badass bank robbers. The gang’s leader is a corrupt saloon owner played well by Beery. Produced by Sol Lessor. 16mm.
RAWHIDE (1938, Principal) Smith Ballew, Lou Gehrig, Evalyn Knapp. Lou quits baseball for the easy life on his sister’s ranch. But a corrupt protective association is terrorizing his sister and other ranchers. Lou and Smith join up to stop this ruthless crime ring. Ballew’s best film? Lou is quite good. 16mm.
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