In the late 1930s and into the 40s, various studios started pairing various second-tier cowboy stars with one or more second-tier stars. In other words, to keep up with the BIG cowboy stars like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, studios such as Monogram, Republic and Universal found that pairs of stars were also very lucrative. Trios such as the Range Busters and Three Mesquiteers were very popular as were duos. The duos paired the likes of Hoot Gibson with Tex Ritter, Tim McCoy with Buck Jones and here in "Raiders of San Joaquin" Johnny Mack Brown is paired with Tex Ritter.
Now I should point out that that I've never been a Tex Ritter fan, though here he is better as the secondary star...and providing a few tunes as you'd expect with Ritter.
When the story begins, Gil (Ritter) is being chased by a trio....shooting away from their horses. Rocky and Eustace (Brown and Fuzzy Knight) give chase and try to prevent this stranger from being killed. Soon after, Rocky and Eustace learn that Gil and other ranchers are being harassed by agents who say they are working for the railroad...and they're trying to force everyone to sell. What's next? Well, justice...delivered Johnny Mack Brown style.
There's nothing outstanding or amazing by this B-western...but it is fun and the Brown-Ritter duo work quite well. Worth seeing even though the plot is somewhat familiar.
Raiders of San Joaquin
1943
Action / Adventure / Drama / Music / Western
Raiders of San Joaquin
1943
Action / Adventure / Drama / Music / Western
Plot summary
In this western, two cowboys ride to the rescue of ranchers who are fighting to keep a land-grabber from taking their land and selling it to the railroad
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
January 29, 2019 at 01:26 PM
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Another Universal film with Johnny Mack Brown and Tex Ritter in the leads.
Raiders of Sam Joaquin
An outlaw gang is stealing land under the pretense that they are getting it for a railway in this serviceable Johnny Mack Brown western that has some twist and turns and the usual amiable Tex Ritter turning outlaw to fight injustice, but that doesn't stop him from singing some songs. Johnny Mack Brown plays the hero and does what is expected from: getting to the bottom of this crooked land scene.
Film Review
This 1943 entry from Universal rivals Republic for production values and entertainment value. Raiders of San Joaquin stars Johnny Mack Brown and Tex Ritter when both were in their prime, Director Lewis Collins gives both stars their lead and they are excellent. Brown plays the son of a railroad vice president sent by his father to find out why people are losing their ranches for railroad property rights. Ritter turns outlaw after his father is killed protecting their ranch. This is a change of pace for Ritter who usually plays a singing cowboy /lawman.In turn Brown sets out to find the mastermind that causing all the trouble for the ranchers.As for most of "b" westerns,everything is neatly wrapped up in about an hour. The movie features a capable supporting cast led by Fuzzy Knight as comic relief,Jennifer Holt,and the Jimmy Wakely Trio providing some nice singing. Tex Ritter was a very good singer with a warm baritone voice. He provides one nice song for the movie. The movie is lensed by William Sickner in fine fashion,and Hans Salter provides a rousing score.Lots of action and a good example of the "b" western genre from Universal Pictures.