Treachery Rides the Range (1936)

Featuring Dick Foran as the “Singing Cowboy” with his trusty horse Smoke. Also notable about this film Jim Thorpe (yes formerly the world’s greatest athlete) appears as the Indian Chief Red Smoke. Several of the stock players who appeared in the previous film are also in this one.

The United States government has just signed a treaty with the Indians to protect the buffalo. A Captain in the Cavalry Red Taylor (Foran) who happens to have grown up with two Indian brothers was instrumental in the forging of this agreement. Unfortunately for the fur traders all the buffalo in the state have settled in this protected region referred to as “the panhandle”.

The fur traders learn of the treaty but their protests that it will put them out of business fall on deaf ears. However they learn that the treaty is invalid if the Indians wage war. So pretending to be with the Cavalry the fur traders kill one of Chief Red Smoke’s sons who also happens to be one of Taylor’s Indian brothers. When Captain Taylor leads the Cavalry singing to what he thinks will be a peaceful meeting with the Chief they are attacked and all but “wiped out” by Indians. Surviving (of course) saved by Smoke “The Singing Cowboy” must figure out a way to stop the fighting and save his Colonel’s daughter.

Also noteworthy there is a lot of very exciting and skillful horseback riding in this film.