Mesquite Buckaroo (1939)

Director: Harry S. Webb
Writer: George H. Plympton
Producer: Harry S. Webb
Cinematographer: Edward A. Kull
Sound: Hans Weeren
Editor: Fred Bain
Assistant Director: Eddie Saeta
Music: Frank Sanucci
Stunts: Chick Hannan, Fox O'Callahan, Matty Roubert (possibly also Tex Palmer)






Cast

Bob Steele as Bob Allen
Carolyn Curtis as Betty Bond
Frank LaRue as Jim Bond
Juanita Fletcher as Aunt Sarah Allen
Charles King as Trigger Carson
Carleton Young as Sands (Credited as Gordon Roberts)
Ted Adams as Luke Williams
Jimmy Aubrey as Mort (Ranch Hand) (Credited as James Whitehead)
Ed Brady as Hank (Credited as Edward Brady)
Bruce Dane as Cookie, Singing Cowhand
'Snub' Pollard as Janitor Suds
John Elliott as Tavern Owner Hawk

Jack Cooper as Rodeo Performer (uncredited)
Junior Eskew as Trick Roper (uncredited)
Al Evans as Rodeo Performer (uncredited)
Martin Faust as Cowhand (uncredited)
Ken Fletcher as Rodeo Performer (uncredited)
Dick Griffith as Trick Rider (uncredited)
Chick Hannan as Henchman / Rodeo Performer (uncredited)
Joe Horn as Rodeo Performer (uncredited)
Abe Lefton as Rodeo Announcer (uncredited)
Mel Morris as Rodeo Performer (uncredited)
Fox O'Callahan as Rodeo Performer (uncredited)
Homer Oakland as Rodeo Clown (uncredited)
Tex Palmer as Rodeo Spectator (uncredited)
Gene Ross as Rodeo Performer (uncredited)
Matty Roubert as Cowhand (uncredited)
Joe Ryan as Rodeo Performer (uncredited)
Texas Slim as Rodeo Performer (uncredited)
Paul St. Croix as Trick Roper (uncredited)
Tom Sutton as Rodeo Judge (uncredited)
George Wells as Rodeo Performer (uncredited)


Plot

A rodeo rider is kidnapped by a Chicago gunman after refusing to throw a competition.

Review

Mesquite Buckaroo is less than an hour long. About 15mins of the running time is made up of stock footage of rodeo performers. The acting for the rest of the film is very bad. There are some of the usual actors who do their best with a poor plot and script, such as Charles King; the ever reliable villain. There is also John Elliott who is actually a very good actor, but does not have the chance to show any of his acting skills in this movie. Mesquite Buckaroo was thrown together to fill a gap and is one of the worst Western films I've ever seen. Bad plot, bad script, poor direction and poor quality of production.

Interesting Additional Information

Carolyn Curtis is only known to have been in this film. She is the leading lady of the film, but is given little to do except moan about the hero until the very end. There are lots of shots of Curtis and her screen dad, Frank LaRue, watching the rodeo performers near the end, to the point where you want to scream at the screen and say 'do something more interesting'. Not their fault, I know.








Title Screens