This film is part of a series that was quite popular in years gone by, and this one contains all the elements required for a good Western, including a rich villain, humor, and lots of gun play as well as a trio of heroes riding horses. The trio, known as the Three Mesquiteers, features Robert Livingston as Stony Brooke, Ray Corrigan as Tucson Smith, and Max Terhune as the humorous Lullaby Joslin. There were 50 sequels following this film, so the filmmakers definitely captured lightning in a bottle with this series.
A town saloon owner and villain named Dirk Barrington has his gang rob the local bank. It’s Barrington’s plan to ruin the bank and mayor who had ordered him to leave town. The story opens with the trio having earned a check for $4,300 for the sale of their herd. Lullaby, who has gotten into trouble before, promises to deposit the check in the town of Prospect, and Stony and Tucson give him the opportunity to redeem himself and to make the deposit.
However, in the next town Stony and Tucson discover a big fight is going to happen between two boxers and it’s taking place in Prospect. Did Lullaby know about this? The two change their plans and head to Prospect just to make sure Lullaby doesn’t get into any trouble. It’s in Prospect that the gang robs the bank. The trio attempts to help the local bank president and his daughter, Sabina, stay afloat until the stolen money is recovered. In a funny scene both Stony and Tucson tell a man that comes in to withdraw money to buy a new suit how great he looks in his current suit. They convince him so he leaves without withdrawing any funds.
They are also relieved when a few patrons come in and actually make a deposit instead of withdrawing money from the troubled bank. The film is a nice combination of shoot-em-up action as well as humor and looking out for the good people of a town. In another comedic scene Lullaby visits a carnival and a man says if he can pick the right card from his deck, Lullaby will win a doll. Lullaby, knowing how to manipulate the game, wins two dolls in a row, and finally gives the two back to win a large ventriloquist doll. Part of the humor of the film is Lullaby having his “dummy” talk.
The movie consists of some brawls, fist fights, and some shooting scenes. One young man is shot but learns he only has a flesh wound. There are some scenes peppered in here and there of cigar smoking too. Overall, the film features good virtues such as the trio pulling together to help the local town regain the bank’s money. Speaking of a few fights, the boxing match takes place when Tucson winds up going against the champion from Europe. The match goes back and forth, and we won’t spoil it by giving away who wins, but one of the funny scenes of the film takes place right at the end when Tucson tears up a check he was offered for a rematch. The fight is not entirely fair, with Lullaby using a slingshot to hit the bell with a small stone when Tucson gets into trouble in the fight, and also he hits the European fighter in the leg with a small stone to slow him down.
This vintage Western incorporates some common scenes of the westerns of the day, which work well anyways in the film. Lullaby drops a rope from a tree on two riding bad guys and they are pulled off their horses and left hanging there, the rope around their chests, until someone can let them down.
We are pleased that the filmmakers stayed within moral guidelines and earned the Dove seal for Ages 12+.
The Dove Take
This rip-roaring Western features good guys, bad guys, comedy, action, and is well worth watching, partner!
