Bar 20 Justice
Director: Lesley Selander
Year: 1938
Rating: 5.0
When William Boyd got his first role as Hopalong Cassidy he was already 40
years old, a bit stumpy and his hair was white. Not exactly the stuff of
Western movie heroes. But that is what he became. At the time in 1935 he
was dead broke when he tried out for the role. In the books Hopalong was
a real roughneck hard drinking man - but that image never made it to the
films. Hopalong - Hoppy to his friends - is as clean and well-shaven man
as a boy scout - until he has to knock someone about or shoot them dead.
There is a box set of 66 Hopalong Cassidy films and for some reason I bought
them. I know they aren't going to be much good but I used to watch the Hopalong
Cassidy TV show as a kid and deep down I still have a nostalgic fondness
for him.
The last Hopalong film was in 1948 and the producer of most of these 66 films
(Boyd produced the last 12) thought they were worthless. Boyd at 53 and known
only for this role had other thoughts and he bought them all up for $350,000
leaving Boyd penniless again. But he went to NBC and sold them the package
of films that were played on TV relentlessly and made him famous once again.
There was a TV show too that ran for 2 years and 52 episodes. In this one
Gabby Hayes is the sidekick. What is it about? Honestly, I don't really recall,
but he is the good guy and the bad guys get what's coming to them.
