Fugitive Valley (1941)

The sheriff (Tom London) just knows that there is an hidden hideout somewhere up in the valley, but he’s at a loss to find out where these pesky outlaws go to lie low. Then he comes up with a plan to put “Crash” (Ray Corrigan) into jail with “Red” (Bob Kortman) in the hope that they will make pals and the latter man will give something away. The next stage involves “Dusty” (John King) rescuing the pair from choky and hoping they lead them to the safety of the hideout. So far, so good, until they are called upon to go rob another stage coach. This introduces us to the travelling magician “Alibi” (Max Terhune) whose antics with pigeons and handkerchiefs earns him a spot as the gang’s new in-cave entertainment. From this hidden HQ they are using his birds to ferry messages to and fro, but imagine their shock when they discover just who the leader of this mercenary pack actually is! There’s a scene stealer from Terhune as the coach is robbed that made me, and most of the cast, smile but otherwise this is a pretty silly attempt at a family western complete with a few ditties that rhyme trees with breeze etc., and although thee are enough ingredients to make for a decent “Ali Baba” style story it’s all just a bit too meanderingly cheesy and I’m quite sure I saw smirks on the faces of both Corrigan and King as what menace there was ebbed away with the title music. It’s cheap and cheerful and effortlessly kills an hour if you like vaudeville in stetsons. It’s a bit reminiscent of some of John Wayne’s “Mesqiteers” but only a little bit.