"Back Trail" is a routine entry in Monogram's long running Johnny Mack Brown series. Brown's character is called "Johnny Mack" in this one.
Simple plot. Terry Dugan (James Horne) a local rancher, returns from the east to his sweetheart Helen Frazer (Mildred Coles) who is the daughter of town banker Bob Frazer (Ted Adams). Foreman Cahoose (Raymond Hatton) has been looking after things for Dugan.The saloon keeper Frank Gilmore (Pierce Lyden) has been blackmailing him into revealing when payrolls are coming through.
Johnny Mack (Brown) yet another undercover lawman arrives in town. Johnny had foiled the most recent robbery attempt by bringing the pay roll himself unbeknownst to Gilmore's men Lacey (Marshall Reed), Pacos (Carol Henry), Turk (Bob Woodward) and Rocky (George Holmes). Johnny becomes suspicious of Frazer when he lets slip that he knew about the attempted robbery. He then goes to Gilmore's saloon to meet Gilmore but gets into a fight with Lacey.
Johnny arranges a trap for the outlaws by arranging for another pay roll robbery. The outlaws are surprised by Johnny and Cahoose. Pacos is taken prisoner and is brought to jail. Gilmore, suspecting that Frazer was behind the phony pay roll, forces him to bring a gun to Pacos aiding him to escape.
Frazer convinces Johnny that he was forced into aiding Gilmore by revealing his past which Helen and Terry overhear. Johnny and Frazer set up a trap for Gilmore. When Gilmore takes the bait..........................
This picture is notable for the inclusion of veteran silent comic Snub Pollard (sans drooping mustache) in a minor role of "Goofy". Pollard had been relegated to such roles since the end of the silent era. He gets to perform a couple of pratfalls but little else. Both he and Hatton's careers stretched back to the early days of silents.
A couple of notes. Due to budget constraints, the pay rolls were transported by buckboard rather than by stagecoach. Although Brown's character doesn't use "Brown" in his name, Lacey clearly calls him "Brown" during their showdown.
Simple plot. Terry Dugan (James Horne) a local rancher, returns from the east to his sweetheart Helen Frazer (Mildred Coles) who is the daughter of town banker Bob Frazer (Ted Adams). Foreman Cahoose (Raymond Hatton) has been looking after things for Dugan.The saloon keeper Frank Gilmore (Pierce Lyden) has been blackmailing him into revealing when payrolls are coming through.
Johnny Mack (Brown) yet another undercover lawman arrives in town. Johnny had foiled the most recent robbery attempt by bringing the pay roll himself unbeknownst to Gilmore's men Lacey (Marshall Reed), Pacos (Carol Henry), Turk (Bob Woodward) and Rocky (George Holmes). Johnny becomes suspicious of Frazer when he lets slip that he knew about the attempted robbery. He then goes to Gilmore's saloon to meet Gilmore but gets into a fight with Lacey.
Johnny arranges a trap for the outlaws by arranging for another pay roll robbery. The outlaws are surprised by Johnny and Cahoose. Pacos is taken prisoner and is brought to jail. Gilmore, suspecting that Frazer was behind the phony pay roll, forces him to bring a gun to Pacos aiding him to escape.
Frazer convinces Johnny that he was forced into aiding Gilmore by revealing his past which Helen and Terry overhear. Johnny and Frazer set up a trap for Gilmore. When Gilmore takes the bait..........................
This picture is notable for the inclusion of veteran silent comic Snub Pollard (sans drooping mustache) in a minor role of "Goofy". Pollard had been relegated to such roles since the end of the silent era. He gets to perform a couple of pratfalls but little else. Both he and Hatton's careers stretched back to the early days of silents.
A couple of notes. Due to budget constraints, the pay rolls were transported by buckboard rather than by stagecoach. Although Brown's character doesn't use "Brown" in his name, Lacey clearly calls him "Brown" during their showdown.
