Border Patrol (1943) User Reviews

Hoppy Meets Judge Roy Bean?

[bsmith5552 · 6/10 · 17 February 2004]

"Border Patrol" is yet another entry in the long running Hopalong Cassidy series produced by Harry "Pop" Sherman between 1935 and 1944. The "Hoppy Trio" consists of Hoppy (William Boyd), California (Andy Clyde) and Johnny Travers (Jay Kirby). This time the boys are members of the Border Patrol of the title.

The story opens with the trio coming upon a fleeing Mexican worker who has been shot trying to escape to his homeland. Mexican ranch owner Inez La Baroa (Claudia Drake) comes upon them and accuses them of murdering her ranch hand. She takes them to the Commandant of the Mexican Border Patrol (Duncan Renaldo) who straightens things out. It seems that Mexican migrant workers have been crossing the border to work in the U.S. never to be heard from again. Hoppy decides to investigate the matter.

The trail leads to the town of Siver Bullet run by a Judge Roy Bean type named Orestes Krebs (Russell Simpson) who has the boys arrested. Krebs is an everyman in the town being mayor, sheriff and judge, among others. With the aid of Inez they overpower jailer Pierce Lydon and escape. They discover that Krebs has been imprisoning the Mexican workers led by Don Enriquez Perez (George Reeves) and forcing them to work in his silver mine. Well, Hoppy and the boys soon rectify that situation.

Frequent series director Lesley Selander gives us an action packed adventure with plenty of fisticuffs and gunfights, as well as, the customary spectacular outdoor scenery which was common to the series.

This film is also notable for the screen debut of Robert Mitchum who plays a Krebs gunman. Mitchum would go on to appear in several other Hoppys before his breakthrough role in "The Story of G.I. Joe" (1944). George Reeves, who would gain greater fame as TV's "Superman", appears briefly as the leader of the Mexican workers. He too would play a variety of roles in the series, even so far as to appear as one of the "Hoppy Trio" in a couple of pictures. Russell Simpson was perhaps better known as Pa Joad in John Ford's "The Grapes of Wrath" (1940). Duncan Renaldo would shortly achieve fame as "The Cisco Kid" in a series produced by Monogram Pictures and a subsequent TV series.

Top notch Hoppy.

The only law where he has jurisdiction

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 28 December 2013]

Border Patrol finds Hopalong Cassidy together with sidekicks Andy Clyde and Jay Kirby serving as Texas Rangers guarding the Mexican. A dead Mexican national and Claudia Drake's idea that they shot the man riding the horse that the dead man was riding that she claims belonged to her sweetheart George Reeves. Even after presenting their Ranger credentials to the Mexican border cop Duncan Renaldo doesn't convince her.

But back they go across the border to an outlaw town where it's rumored a lot of Mexican laborers have gone to work. What they find is a town run by Judge Russell Simpson who makes Roy Bean look like Oliver Wendell Holmes. Fortunately for their sakes Claudia Drake has a change of mind about Hoppy and his sidekicks because Simpson doesn't recognize their status as Texas Rangers, his is the only law where he has jurisdiction.

This Hopalong Cassidy film is notable for two things, it is one of the films that featured Robert Mitchum down in the cast as one of Simpson's hired guns. The second is the performance of Russell Simpson who even as he's deadly serious about hanging Hoppy and the sidekicks still laces his 'rulings' and 'jurisprudence' with a little humor.

Definitely a must for Hopalong Cassidy and Robert Mitchum fans.

Great Stars And Oddball Villains!

[FightingWesterner · 7/10 · 27 June 2014]

After witnessing the murder of a Mexican national, border patrolman Hopalong Cassidy and pals are promptly abducted and taken to Mexico by a feisty senorita who believes them responsible. Set free by the federales, they investigate the disappearances of dozens of migrant workers seeking jobs in a silver mine and end up stepping into a madman's own private town.

A William Boyd/Hopalong Cassidy vehicle that comes real close to going over the top, there's a lot of fun and great stars here, with head villain Russell Simpson giving a spirited, amusing performance alongside henchman Robert Mitchum (billed here as Bob in a very early role!), as well as future Superman George Reeves and the Cisco Kid, Duncan Renaldo!

As offbeat as you're likely to get in a "Hoppy" movie, action and humor mix effortlessly, leading to a rousing climax, well directed by genre veteran Lesley Selander, who helmed low-budget westerns for major studios well into the 1960's, some of which are considered minor classics.

Where else could you see Superman, The Cisco Kid, Robert Mitchum, & Hopalong Cassidy all in one place?

[wrbtu · 3 September 2001]

Hoppy, California, & Johnny are all Texas Rangers (I guess they had very loose hiring criteria if California got in!). Hoppy's dressed in all black throughout the film (this is important to those of us who know that his black outfit signifies "he means business" & his rancher's & other outfits signify "he's only fooling around & trying to act like someone other than "Hoppy"). The setting is Silver Bullet, Texas, & no, The Lone Ranger is not in this movie, although practically everyone else is! George Reeves (Superman) is here; he plays a Mexican & is on screen for only a few moments. Duncan Renaldo (The Cisco Kid) is here, & has a nice role as a Mexican police commandant. Robert Mitchum plays his usual (for his early days in the westerns) baddie. Claudia Drake actually has a more significant role in the film than anyone other than Hoppy himself. There's good action (4 gunfights), good humorous situations, & overall it's quite nicely done, with good production values. I rate it 8/10.

"The only faces we're gonna see are the ones that don't wanna see us".

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 16 January 2015]

If only the Hoppy line in my summary statement applied to our border patrol guys today. Times sure change don't they? Today they have to process the paper work.

Well this time out, Hoppy and his sidekicks California (Andy Clyde) and Johnny (Jay Kirby) are Texas Rangers investigating the disappearance of laborers from south of the border. They have the unique distinction of getting arrested twice in the same picture, something I don't think I've ever seen before. The thought just came to me that it was too bad that Hoppy wasn't a singing cowboy like his contemporaries Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. When they wound up in jail they would take advantage of the situation by singing a song. Heck, even Ricky Nelson did it in "Rio Bravo".

For old time Western movie fans, this one's a treasure trove for familiar faces who went on to bigger and better things. Robert Mitchum was still going by 'Bob' when this picture was made, and future Cisco Kid Duncan Renaldo is on hand as a Mexican Commandante. But the best is George Reeves in the role of a Mexican laborer in love with the film's heroine Senorita Inez La Barca (Claudia Drake). He's not on screen very much, and forgive me for saying so because I like the guy, but every time he's on it's hilarious. His Spanish accent is tortured and the pencil thin mustache is killer. You really have to see him to appreciate it.

Say, check out that scene in the early going when Hoppy lassos an outlaw's feet some twenty feet above him on a giant boulder. Anyone think that's actually possible? If so, you'll really love the scene when the senorita smuggles a gun into jail for the boys, it's hidden in a pot of beans with bullets concealed in the tacos. Too bad about Mitchum though, Hoppy drilled him in the final shootout. We never find out what he thought about being called a two-bit gunman.

Wow...this is an unusual Hopalong Cassidy film!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 7 October 2020]

When the story begins, Hoppy and his partners come upon a dying man. Soon, he dies and Inez sees this and automatically assumes the trio killed him. Like the angry stereotypical women I've seen in a few of the Hopalong Cassidy films, her anger makes no sense...and she never gives them a chance to explain. She then, at gunpoint, forces them to go with her into Mexico. There, she turns them over to Mexican authorities...only to be told that she just kidnapped three Texas Rangers! And, like the angry stereotypical women trope, she STILL thinks the three are murderers!

One reason Inez is so angry is because her boyfriend went to work at a mine in the States...and he simply disappeared. The same has happened to other Mexicans....and Hoppy, California and Johnny all agree to go to the Silver Bullet Mine to look for clues. But, when they approach the mine, they are attacked and soon are before a kangaroo court bent on hanging them. Why? What's going on here?! And is there any chance for Inez to grow up and let go of her weird vendetta?!

This is a good but flawed installment. Flawed because Inez's character simply makes no sense at times. The rest of the story, however, is interesting and involves slavery...an unusual topic for a B-western. Worth seeing.

Entertaining hoppy western

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 28 February 2022]

When three Texas Rangers try to investigate kidnapped Mexicans being used as forced labor in the mines of Silver Bullet, they are framed for murder by the town's corrupt sheriff.

Hopalong Cassidy, as played by the charismatic William Boyd, and his partners take on the crooked judge who enforced forced labour on kidnapped Mexican. Russel Simpson plays the judge and actually steals the scene. There's a nifty pace, great dialogue, the repartee between the three protagonists is good as ever, and the action is grand.

Invite to a necktie party

[zeppo-2 · 4/10 · 27 June 2005]

A number of Hoppy films revolve around a mining background, they sure wanted to get their money's worth out of that particular mine setting! This time it's a crook who is using forced labour to run his mine.Hoppy tracks missing Mexican labourers to both the mine and town that is ruled by the elaborately named villain, Orestes Krebs.

Framed by Krebs as both judge, jury and executioner, Hoppy, California and Johnny are sentenced to hang. Initially suspected to be outlaws by the leading lady, Claudia Drake as Inez, (a common occurrence it seems for Hoppy and his companions), she does however see the light and helps the friends to clean up the whole crooked town.

A fairly lightweight entry in the series, with enough action and story to keep things bubbling to the end. Krebs makes a suitable evil schemer, who doesn't know when he's beaten and Hoppy gets plenty of opportunity to use his patented steely gaze at the proceedings.

Three Texas Rangers and Three Future Stars

[hines-2000 · 10/10 · 27 March 2021]

Border Patrol is a very interesting Hoppy film with three future stars. The Texas Rangers Hopalong Cassidy (William Boyd) and deputies, California (Andy Clyde) and Johnny (Jay Kirby) are sent to investigate the Silver Bullet mine where Mexicans are being kidnapped. Claudia Drake slips California a hot pepper than tails the Rangers across the border. This is where the one and only Robert Mitchum gets his first line with a rifle pointed at the Rangers, "Hold it this is the only type of passport we issue". The forever grim Russell Simpson co-stars as Orestes Krebs, the petty tyrant of Silver Bullet with his kangaroo court. The future Superman George Reeves as as Don Enrique Perez and the future Cisco Kid, Duncan Renaldo as Commandant round out a great cast.

No big deal. Some weak scenes.

[chipe · 5/10 · 23 February 2015]

This Hoppy film seems to have more IMDb "user reviews" than any other Hoppy movie I have seen. No sense repeating the info in those seven reviews. I'd like to add these comments: The story is very simple and straight-forward. For the first 30 minutes it moves very slowly; in fact nothing much happens except that Hoppy is sent off by the Mexican authorities to find out what happened to missing Mexican laborers sent to work in a particular US town. Once at the town, Hoppy and sidekicks are "arrested," find out the misdeeds of the local crime boss, escape, and round up the bad guys.

I noticed three particularly poorly produced action scenes: As noted in one of the reviews here, "Hoppy lassos an outlaw's feet some twenty feet above him on a giant boulder" and threatens to pull the outlaw off unless he confesses.

Hoppy and sidekicks are locked in the local jail awaiting their hanging, but are "saved" by the heroine sneaking a gun into the food of their "last meal." However, the gun turned out to be unnecessary as Hoppy, in effect, simply overcame the "lawman" as Hoppy and crew were ushered out of the cell, something he could have done with or without the gun.

Finally, Hoppy sets a ridiculous trap to catch the 10 bad guy horsemen charging Hoppy and his sidekicks. Hoppy has some wagons, driven by some outlaws (but loaded with freed, armed Mexican laborers), charging the 10 outlaws who are riding towards the wagons. Hoppy and his sidekicks are riding behind the wagons. Well, the 10 outlaw horsemen ride past the wagons, but for some inexplicable reason, retreat when Hoppy and his few sidekicks fire on the 10 outlaws. So they, then, end up encircled by the wagons and give up! The 10 should have continued charging Hoppy and wiped him out.

A great Hoppy story Too bad it's not restored

[kwolf-62491 · 8/10 · 22 July 2020]

If you're a Jolly fan this is a very enjoyable film. It really needs to be restored and reblocked. It has big stars that give fine performances like Geroge Reeves and Robert Mitchum.

Hoppy Meets a Company Town

[dougdoepke · 7 May 2010]

More plot-heavy than most. The trio are Texas Rangers trying to bust up a silver mine operation that's luring Mexican illegals (sound familiar?) across the border. On the way, they have to get past a cantankerous Mexican senorita (Drake) and a petty tyrant—hanging judge (Simpson). Some good scenery, especially the roaring Kern River, long a favorite of these oaters. Clever action climax does a neat twist on the old circle-the-wagons maneuver. I also like the charming dinner scene with the Commandant (Renaldo) that's well scripted and nicely played.

There's also a couple of interesting lesser-knowns to add to the stars-of-the-future list (Mitchum, Reeves, Renaldo). Claudia Drake managed a shot at immortality by landing a key role in the noir cult classic Detour (1945). Here, she gives a spirited performance as the willful senorita that really over-shadows everyone else. However, perhaps most notable and surprising is the screenplay. It's credited to Michael Wilson who later penned such A-list classics as A Place in the Sun (1951), Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), and Lawrence of Arabia (1962), among others. A victim of the early-50's blacklist, several of these were written undercover, but have since been restored to his credit list. Here, the plot deals with such potential political themes as exploited workers, a company town, and a rich man making up his own laws. So, perhaps Wilson's participation is not so surprising after all.

Hoppy and side-kicks are Texas Rangers!

[JohnHowardReid · 8/10 · 18 October 2017]

Copyright 11 December 1942 by United Artists Production, Inc. Presented by Harry Sherman. Released through United Artists. U.S. release: 2 April 1943. Australian release: 24 June 1943. Sydney release at the Civic: 18 June 1943. 5,927 feet. 66 minutes.

SYNOPSIS: Silver-mine operator uses Mexicans for slave labor.

NOTES: Mitchum's first film. Number 47 (as released) in the Hoppy series. Location in Kernville, California. Negative cost: $87,285.09. Worldwide Rental Gross: $132,406.23. These fascinating figures are taken from LESLEY SELANDER: A film Checklist by Karl Thiede in Close Up: The Contract Director edited by Jon Tuska (The Scarecrow Press, Metuchen, N.J., 1976). The gross of course is that of the film's initial release. Sherman abandoned the series when costs overtook the gross. On Lumberjack (1944), WWG of $115,389.25 falls well short of a negative cost of $117,402.22.

COMMENT: Although he can be glimpsed in several scenes, Mitchum does not make much of an impression in his first film. Nonetheless, it's one of the classier entries in the series with sold solid action material vigorously directed by Lesley Selander from a script by none other than Michael Wilson (Five Fingers, A Place in the Sun, Friendly Persuasion, Bridge on the River Kwai, Planet of the Apes, etc.).

The support players led by Russell Simpson are an interesting and appealing bunch. Music and photography are also well above standard. A full list of Mitchum's Hoppy bits can be found on IMDb. See also "Hoppy Serves a Writ" and "Colt Comrades".