Guns of the Pecos (1937)

Featuring Dick Foran as the “Singing Cowboy” with his trusty horse Smoke “the Wonder Horse”. Also appearing in the film is the prolific “B”-movie stock player Eddie Acuff.

The setting begins with a placard describing the lawlessness of Texas before the advent of the Texas Ranger. We are then introduced to a small town judge Blake who is “The Law” of the community. He is also corrupt involved in rustling horses. Under orders his gang steals all the horses from Major Burton who lives out on the range with his sister and daughter Alice.

During the rustling Major Burton is killed and his wallet taken by one of the criminals. Dick Foran sings a couple of songs and runs across Judge Blake’s gang out on the range. He is hired by them to help “bring in” the load of stolen now re-branded horses to Dodge City. When that’s done Foran notices Judge Blake’s name written on the check given to his gang foreman Wellman (Bill Elliot who also appears in Trailin’ West). Foran then fights Wellman and takes the wallet with the check inside back to Texas Ranger headquarters where he is employed. Evidently he was working undercover trying to find out who was in charge of the rustling.

The “Singing Cowboy” goes back to the town intending to trick the judge into convicting himself. Once there he meets Alice Burton and tells her what he’s trying to do. Unfortunately while Foran is accusing the judge he reveals the wallet which Alice quickly identifies as her father’s. The judge then accuses Foran of being the murderer and he is trapped. But his Ranger partner (Acuff) helps him to escape and they head for Major Burton’s ranch to convince Alice again that he’s a Ranger trying to catch Judge Blake.

The final third (or more!) of the film is a shootout between the judge’s gang and Burton’s farm hands led by Foran’s partner. In the meantime Foran has gone back to Ranger’s HQ to get help. Will he arrive in time to save the day and marry Alice?