I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

A United Artists picture, released 23 May 1947, directed by George Archainbaud.CAST: William Boyd, Andy Clyde, Rand Brooks, Fritz Leiber, Douglas Evans, Harry Cording, Betty Alexander, Francis McDonald, Neyle Morrow, Patricia Tate, Bob Faust, Ken Tobey, Jack Quinn, Bill Nestell. 59 minutes. (Available on an excellent Platinum Disc or Echo Bridge DVD). COMMENT: Probably the best of the dozen Boyd-produced entries, thanks to an interest-capturing script by Doris Schroeder (who manages to cram two major and reasonably exciting plot-threads into 59 minutes) and some splendid acting by Betty Alexander (in the first and largest of only two credited roles), well-spoken Douglas Evans (it was no surprise to discover he was a radio announcer before turning to Hollywood and playing bit parts in more than a hundred films), Neyle Morrow as the Indian youth (well, he looked no more than 18 to me, although he was actually 32), Harry Cording as the villain's villain, the lovely Patricia Tate as the Indian princess (this one and the previous Hoppy are her only movies), and even our old friend, Ken Tobey, as one of Cording's henchmen. Great scenic vistas of the Alabama Hills are used most effectively by photographer Mack Stengler. David Chudnow's music score is a cut above the average too.

A couple other reviewers for this film make mention of the stunning scenery and I have to concur. I managed to catch a restored print of the movie and even though it's mostly rock formations, the cinematography just jumps out at you. In bold black and white, this is some of the best I've seen.Along with that, I really like the different kinds of adventures Hopalong Cassidy (William Boyd) gets involved in. This one has Hoppy and his pals California (Andy Clyde) and Lucky (Rand Brooks) taking part in an archaeological dig to find ancient Indian artifacts. However there's also gold involved, which sets up an alliance with crooked scientist Atwood (Douglas Evans) and cattle rancher Dan Morgan (Harry Cording). There are caves on Indian land that potentially hold a lot of gold, and Atwood needs Morgan's permission and guidance to cross his land and get to it. For his part, Morgan and his henchmen have been doing some cattle rustling and blaming it on the local tribe; his men dress up like Indians to pull their raids.This story could have meant big time trouble for California. For a while, the Indian chief Xeoli (Fritz Leiber) believed Hoppy's crew was after their gold and was going to make a human sacrifice of California! The stone altar and fire pit were a nice touch and was put to good use later on when Hoppy and the baddies got into a shooting match. Atwood took a spear from the Chief and landed right in it - ouch!Well there's never any doubt how these old time oaters end up, no matter who the cowboy hero is - Hoppy, Roy, Gene, Durango or any of a host of others. What I'd really like to know is - what does timber rattler soup taste like?

Hoppy protects a young Indian boy who is being chased and unjustly accused of being the lookout for a band of rustlers since carved amulets are found after each rustling raid. As it happens, the young boy works for the archaeologist Dr. Sue Harmon (Betty Alexander). Doc Harmon and Hoppy are old friends and she persuades him and sidekicks California and Lucky to join in the archaeological dig. Unfortunately, a colleague of hers is no good and joins forces with the head of the rustling gang in a scheme to steal and then sell the Indian artifacts. The scenery in this movie is stunning and having an archaeology expedition as part of the story is refreshing – as is having a woman archaeologist. I was reminded again in seeing this movie how good Hoppy was in fist fights – they are so realistic (unlike fights in some B Westerns).

I just saw this flick today on the Westerns Channel. It is my first look at William Boyd aka Hopalong Cassidy. I have seen several other Western stars like Tom Mix, Roy Rogers and Gene Autry and I must saw from an early examination, Hoppy seems to be slightly more engaging than the others in his company. This B-movie is also helped by a supporting cast, which seems to remind one of the cast of "Stagecoach" with the likes of Andy Devine which to me made the movie as memorable as John Wayne's performance as Ringo. This is one of the best B-Westerns I've seen so far. Don't expect the intellectual depths of "Red River" or "The Searchers," but for a good time and a nice glimpse into what it must have been like to be a kid watching a serial in the 40s (long before my time), check this one out!