User reviews

The Trail Blazers (Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson) are sent by the governor to investigate problems in a western town that seem to be slowing down the progress on the railroad. Why would anyone want to keep out the railroad and progress? Well, Hoot and Ken get to the bottom of this in this very competent but not especially remarkable B-western.

In the decade before "Wild Horse Stampede" was made, Ken Maynard had been a big-name cowboy and Hoot Gibson was still a big act after more than two decades in the business. Now, in the latter portion of their careers, the two weren't quite as big a draw on their own and Monogram decided to pair them in order to attract a wider audience--something that had already been done with other team westerns (such as the more successful Three Mesquiteer films). All of them had VERY standard sorts of plots involving mean bosses trying to control the territory and the like. Nothing uncomplicated or unusual--just the usual films that kids loved on Saturday mornings back in the day. While I will quickly acknowledge that the films are not great, I like how they did NOT have singing and the characters were quite likable...like a comfortable old pair of jeans.

This is just the sort of film that you can imagine being shown at the ABC Minors or Odeon or Gaumont Clubs on a Saturday morning.It is full of round ups and gun battles and saloon bar brawls.A basic plot about railways,horses and rustlers and all wrapped up within one hour.If you like this sort of stuff it is both enjoyable and nostalgic.However it is a bit sad to see 2 great stars of yesteryear rather looking on their uppers.Unfortunately you are wondering who has the bigger stomach and the biggest double chin.Hoot Gibson clearly was not up to the more physical action as he is often on the periphery.Also stuntman are very much in evidence as doubles.Particularly in one stunt when Maynard stops as he is about to jump 20feet on to to the back of Tarzan his horse.There is a cut to a long shot where clearly a stuntman does the jump which i have to say rather makes ones eyes water at the thought of the effect of the jump on both stuntman and horse.

Bad guys want to keep wild horse herd from reaching the army. Maynard and Gibson arrive in time to help keep that from happening.

Looks like lowly Monogram wanted to give The Trailblazers series a big send-off since production values are better than expected. That rousing opening is well stocked with horses, wagons, and cowboys. The big herd crossing the river is also a good spectacle. There are several of these fairly lavish scenes and I don't think they're stock shots, at least that I could tell. The plot meanders a bit, but then they've got a ton of great supporting actors to work in-– all-purpose Tom London, baddie Stanford Jolley, Gunsmoke's Glen Strange, and the familiar Kenne Duncan. Unfortunately, Maynard doesn't project much charisma and neither does Gibson. But then each has done a hundred of these matinees and each is pushing past 50. Nonetheless, there's enough hard-riding, fast-shooting, and flying fists, to keep this Front Row geezer happy, along with an easy-on-the-eyes Betty Miles. Matinée fans could do a lot worse.