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Because he helped him capture a few bankrobbers, Marshal Higgins (Gabby
Hayes) hires drifter John Weston (John Wayne) to become his deputy and
investigate undercover the strange goings-on of the Nevada Rodeo, where
many of the champs either belong to the gang that organizes the rodeo - or
they end up dead from unknown causes - but it might have to do with snake
poison.
On the way to the rodeo, Weston saves a stagecoach from a bunch of
bandits, and Marjorie (Polly Ann Young), daughter of the local bank owner
Judge Carter (Lafe McKee), who was on the stagecoach, immediately falls in
love with him while her father desperately tries to deputize him - without
any success though, because that would blow Weston's cover.
Soon enough, Weston wins pretty much every tournament at the rodeo,
much to the dismay of Barton (Edward Peil sr), boss of the rodeo, and
Cheyenne (Yakima Canutt), the gang's appointed champion, so they first
decide to have him beaten up, and when that doesn't work, try to win him
over to their cause - and Weston even pretends to throw in with them ...
and soon enough, the local Sheriff (George Cleveland) thinks him a crook,
while Marjorie is upset because he hangs out with the rodeo-outfits moll
Dolores (Anita Campillo).
At the rodeo's final contest, Weston finds a needle tipped in snake
poison hidden in the saddle of the horse he has to ride, but when he
removes it, he is seen by Cheyenne, who instantly warns Barton and the
others, and they decide to lose no time but clean out the local bank and
escape over the border ... but after the usual chase (during which even
Weston himself gets arrested temporarily) and shoot-out, Weston and
Marshal Higgins can capture all the baddies, and Marjorie, once she learns
that Weston was an undercover man, reconciles with him, and soon enough
they plan to marry.
One of these nice Westerns a pre-superstar John Wayne did for Monogram
under the direction of Robert N.Bradbury, many of which belong to the best
B-Westerns of the 1930's.This one might not be among the best of the
series, but still it's quite entertaining and features an interesting
enough plot - and it features much vintage authentic rodeo footage to make
the film worthwhile nevertheless.
Oh, and John Wayne sings (well, pretends to sing, the voice is someone
else's) a tune at the beginning of the film, while riding his horse and
playing the guitar - but womehow, his mouth's movements are not quite
synchronized with his song, and he obviously doesn't know how to handle a
guitar - actually only his riding looks authentic in this scene.
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