Three on the Trail (1936)
Director:
Howard Bretherton
Writers:
Doris Schroeder (screenplay), Vernon Smith (screenplay)Stars:
William Boyd, James Ellison, Onslow Stevens
Hopalong Cassidy (William Boyd) rescues a stranded schoolmarm (Muriel Evans) from a lecherous saloon owner (Onslow Stevens) in this the fifth entry in the long-running series which also served to re-introduce George "Gabby" Hayes as cantankerous sidekick Windy Haliday. While Hoppy is busy putting the prim Mary Stevens up at the Bar 20, Johnny Nelson (James Ellison) is wounded in an unsuccessful attempt at preventing saloon owner Pecos Kane's men from holding up the stage. The irate Pecos then frames Johnny for both the robbery and the shooting of the stage driver. About to be arrested by the corrupt sheriff (John St. Polis), the youngster is saved by a tough-talking Hoppy, but the two friends are soon at loggerheads over the pretty schoolmarm, who seems to prefer the more mature Hoppy. The latter, however, manages to turn one of Pecos' men (John Rutherford) and there is the inevitable climactic shootout at the Paradise Saloon.
