Cyclone on Horseback (1941)

Another Tim Holt western with Smokey (Ray Whitley who sings the songs) and Whopper (Lee ‘Lasses’ White for comic relief) as his character’s trusty sidekicks. This time Holt is Stan Bradford who has just brought 40 head of horses to town for Jeff Corbin (Dennis Moore) so that Corbin can complete his contract stringing a line for the telephone company a bid he won over Cobb Wayne (Harry Worth) who’s none too happy about it. However it seems that Corbin owes money all over town though he’s sent back East for money. When Bradford learns he can’t cash Corbin’s check at the bank Cobb pretends to be Corbin’s friend and offers to advance him the $2400 for a bill of sale. Tired and encouraged by a hungry Whopper Bradford accepts. Just then however the stage coach comes into town with Corbin’s sister Mary (Marjorie Reynolds) aboard; she has bonds which will clear all of Corbin’s debt. But she learns it’s too late and is upset with Bradford for (unknowingly) selling the horses to her brother’s rival Cobb.

Cobb’s men (including Monte Montague) help Bradford take the horses to his place but not before warning Cobb that Corbin’s sister has the bonds. While she is en route to her brother is Cobb’s men move to steal her money but Bradford & company see what’s going on and intervene. They then escort her to her brother who’s in the midst of a fight with his unpaid workers. Bradford helps stop the fight and finally meets a grateful Corbin. Once he explains about the mix-up with the horses Bradford feels guilty enough to loan Corbin the money in exchange for the bonds so that he can complete the telephone line by the deadline. However Cobb has telegraphed the police to report stolen bonds such that Bradford is arrested when he attempts to cash them at the bank.

Bradford loses at checkers to the Sheriff (Slim Whitaker) just when Mary arrives to explain that the bond situation will be cleared up soon. The Sheriff takes her at her word and releases Bradford but holds her in his place. When Cobb learns of Bradford’s release he decides to have Corbin killed so that Bradford can’t help him complete the job. Corbin is only wounded but can work no more. Out of jail Mary holds back Bradford’s pay “forcing” him to help in her brother’s place while he recovers. Cobb’s men aren’t through yet they dynamite the canyon route eliminating Corbin’s plan B. However Bradford and Corbin’s man Pete (Eddie Dew serving as the punching dummy in this one;-) come up with plan C. Of course Cobb and his men with try to stop them and fail but not until there is a shootout and more fistfight action. Cobb’s men seemed to have overlooked the most obvious solution throughout this film cut the line! Then again these B Westerns are meant to be nothing more than an hour’s entertainment.

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