Silver on the Sage (1939)

Disappointment for a huge fan!

Charming and brutal

How wonderful it is to see this fine actress carry a film and carry it so beautifully.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

SYNOPSIS: A frontier clash between rustlers and cattleowners finds Hopalong Cassidy, the "Bar 20" foreman, at even more of a disadvantage than usual. One rustler chief is a cinch for Hoppy to handle, but this time the band is led by twin brothers, one a gambling hall owner, and the other foreman of a ranch. From the ranch, raids are made for cattle, and an alibi is always available because one of the brothers is always seen by various people well away from the scene of the rustling. Hopalong Cassidy's feud with the rustlers starts when they take some of the "Bar 20" prize cattle. (This film is available on an excellent Platinum Disc DVD).NOTES: In a remarkable change of tack (see Heart of Arizona), Paramount now insists that the script here was based on Mulford's characters, not on either an original Mulford screen story or on Mulford's novel, "On the Trail of the Tumbling T". Reading between the lines, it seems obvious that, through his lawyers, Mulford had complained about the ambivalent press releases surrounding Heart of Arizona and the claim made for Bar 20 Justice. I think we can take it for granted that Mulford had nothing to do with either story or script for Heart of Arizona and likewise Bar 20 Justice. Indeed Paramount's reckless claims obviously placed the author in an embarrassing situation with the IRS. And that's why the studio is now suddenly insisting that Mulford was not paid any additional money and rendered no services whatever. COMMENT: Like most of the other Cassidy entries of the 1930s, this one saves all its action for the last reel - and a pretty tame shoot-out it is too! However, it does offer a dual role for one of our favorite character players, Stanley Ridges. Also, it must be admitted that the dialogue is tense enough. Russell Harlan's fine location camerawork is another major asset. As for heroine, Ruth Rogers, she must have been assigned to the movie over producer Harry Sherman's head. "Pop" Sherman doesn't like blonde ladies at all, so doubtless cut her role to the bone. I'd be surprised if she was on screen for much more than five minutes all told (which, considering her abysmal performance, is maybe just as well). However, "Pop" Sherman does indulge his more likable penchant for "employing more former Hollywood big shots as extras than any other producer in Hollywood." Sherman insists that the jury that tries Russell Hayden for murder includes "three former directors and five actors of erstwhile importance." I recognized the jury foreman as Frank O'Connor, who directed around twenty silent features including The Block Signal (starring Jean Arthur), Devil's Island (starring Pauline Frederick), Spangles (starring Marian Nixon), and The Silent Power.

Very entertaining movie. Nice pace; moves along to something fresh as it progresses. Very pretty, well-spoken leading lady, Ruth Rogers. Russell Hayden (along with James Ellison) are my favorite young sidekicks, and Gabby Hayes is by far my favorite comic sidekick for Hoppy (Andy Clyde is like fingernails scraping a blackboard, to me). I liked the humor and banter between Ellison and Hayes. It was very funny and cute when twice Happy fired from behind when Hayes was shooting, giving the credit to Hayes. The story was interesting. All the actors were fine. I enjoyed the understated humor, like: seeing one juror at the inquest sleeping; the bar tender trying to break up a brawl by saying "I got some good liquor here; they made a mistake in the shipment this time;" and Gabby haplessly trying to be seen as an outlaw by handing out phony wanted posters with his picture on it (at one point the Marshall turned over one of the posters to use the paper for making notes!). Other good scenes involved Hoppy playing poker, and his noticing who was Talbot and who was the alibi by observing which one licked his thumb while dealing.***spoilers***I liked the movie even with these silly director and screenplay mistakes: (1) in one scene I noticed to myself how slow Hoppy was in drawing his gun during a poker game. An then shortly later, I almost fell off my chair when one bad guy commented that it must be Hopalong Cassidy because only three people could draw that fast: Hoppy and two others that he knew. (2) the Owner of the Lazy J Ranch (Hamilton) ordered his foreman, Talbot, to go to the ranch to work, but Talbot went to town. Shortly thereafter, Lucky brings Talbot to the ranch, and Hamilton says he and Lucky will bring Talbot to the Marshall for questioning. Why? Hardly a good reason. (3) On the way to the Marshall, the bad guys have Hamilton killed. Why? I couldn't see a good reason. (4) Unbelievable coincidence: The bad guys ride out to the range and happened to stop to talk right next to where Lucky and Hayes are camping, and the two secretly hear an important conversation! (5) Similar to the above, the bad guys happen to leave one guy behind on the range. And he secretly hears Hoppy's plan that Hoppy will mark his trail (with ribbons) so his friends can follow him. (6) at a close distance, as Hoppy is riding away, Talbot draws and fires at Hoppy, and misses!

It is good to see this kind of movie in a day when so much violent and profane stuff is present in today's movies. This movie starts out slow; but has a good shoot 'em up ending. The story line is good and will hold one's attention to the end. One can gain an interest in what becomes of the cast.

One of the last Hopalong Cassidy movies to feature Gabby Hayes (as "Windy"). Gabby & Russell Hayden (as "Lucky") have larger roles than usual in this film, & Hoppy appears only after the first 9 minutes have gone by! There isn't too much action until near the end of the film, but this movie is well done & interesting. Windy claims to be the well known stagecoach robber named Black Bart, & even has "Wanted" posters printed with his photo on them. For Hoppy completists, we learn that Windy carries a Remington 1876 reissue revolver (unloaded!). For added fun, there's also a quite noticeable blooper at the end. Windy leaves on his horse, & Hoppy mounts Topper to follow him, but Topper's first step is into a bucket of water! William Boyd (as "Hopalong Cassidy"), a pro with many years of acting experience, looks down to see what happened on both sides of Topper, with a startled expression, but continues the scene as written! His laughter is on cue for Windy's departure, but also fits Topper's accidentally stepping into the bucket of water. I give it 8/10.