Search - Santa Fe Stampede on DVD

Sturdy Grade B Western from Republic.

Robert S. Clay Jr. | St. Louis, MO., USA | 11/14/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Here we have a rip roarin' Saturday matinee "shoot 'em up" with plenty of black-hearted villains and blazing six-guns. Crooks control the law in Santa Fe Junction. The Three Mesquiteers ride into town to see justice served. When a respected local citizen and his young daughter are ambushed, Stony (John Wayne) is framed for the murder. The bad guys incite a lynch mob to take matters in their own hands. Can Tucson and Lullaby (Ray Corrigan and Max Terhune), held captive at the outlaw stronghold, escape in time? Will the beautiful Nancy Carson, rendered unconscious as she tries to unlock Stony's cell, survive the fire set by the angry lynch mob? Will the real killers be brought to justice? Never fear, the distant thunder of drumming hoofbeats are the honest cowboys and ranchers, who ride down the same section of trail and around the same rocky corner at least three times, as they race to the final showdown.Before he made the big time in John Ford's "Stagecoach," John Wayne was a familiar face in Grade B Westerns. The Three Mesquiteers was a popular series of the '30s and '40s, based on characters created by Western novelist William Colt MacDonald. Over time, different actors played the roles of the three saddle pals. This typical example from Republic studios includes cliff-hanging Western adventure and light humor. The emphasis is on hard-riding action rather than the intrusive musical numbers that plagued some other Grade B Westerns. Old-fashioned, light weight fun. ;-)"

"The Three Mesquiteers Series ... Santa Fe Stampede (1938) .

J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 03/26/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Republic Pictures presents "SANTA FE STAMPEDE" (18 November 1938) (55 mins/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- The series was based on a series of western novels by William Colt MacDonald, which began with "Law of the .45's" in 1933 --- The Three Mesquiteers is the umbrella title for a series of 51 western B-movies released between 1936 and 1943, including 8 films starring John Wayne --- The name was a play on The Three Musketeers, and each film featured a trio of stars --- The series blended the traditional Western period with more modern elements, which was not unknown with other B-Western films and serials --- Towards the end of the series, during World War II, the trio of cowboys were opposing Nazis --- The Three Mesquiteers series was extremely popular at the time of its release --- The series was the only one of its kind to be specifically named and ranked in contemporary polls of the top western film stars --- For example, from 1937 to the end of the series in 1943, The Motion Picture Herald consistently ranked the series in its top ten, reaching a peak of 5th place in 1938, when a pre-Stagecoach John Wayne was the series lead



Under the production staff of:

George Sherman - Director

Betty Burbridge - Screenwriter

Luci Ward - Screenwriter

Reggie Lanning - Cinematographer

William Lava - Composer (Music Score)

Tony Martinelli - Editor

William A. Berke - Associate Producer



Our story line and plot, Our heroes Stony Brooke (John Wayne), Tucson Smith (Ray "Crash" Corrigan) and Lullaby Joslin (Max Terhune) members of the Three Mesquiteers capture a horse thief who escapes justice through a crooked judge --- They gather signatures urging the governor to investigate but a friend with the petition is murdered. Stony is accused --- The Mesquiteers partner Dave Carson (William Farnum) has found gold --- Town boss May Gil Byron (LeRoy Mason) wants it and has Carson killed --- Then he has his stooge Sheriff arrest Stony for the murder. While Tucson and Lullaby are away looking for the two witnesses that can free Stony, Byron incites the townsmen to lynch him --- A startling moment occurs when two mischievous kids are killed in a runaway buckboard --- As western historian Don Miller has observed, "Rough treatment of children was a near-taboo in westerns." --- LeRoy Mason played a lot of western villains and he gives the Mesquiteers a run for their money --- He thinks pretty fast on his feet and it's a less nervy member of his own gang that ruins all his plans --- How does Wayne get out of it? --- All I can say it's a rescue worthy of some of the serial cliffhangers.



the cast includes:

John Wayne ... Stony Brooke

Ray Corrigan ... Tucson Smith

Max Terhune ... Lullaby Joslin

June Martel ... Nancy Carson

William Farnum ... Dave Carson

LeRoy Mason ... Mayor Gil Byron (as Le Roy Mason)

Martin Spellman ... Billy Carson

Genee Hall ... Julie Jane Carson

Walter Wills ... Lawyer Harris

Ferris Taylor ... Judge Henry J. Hixon

Tom London ... Marshal Jim Wood

Dick Rush ... Sheriff Tom

James Cassidy ... Jed Newton (as John F. Cassidy)

Richard Alexander ... Henchman Joe Moffit

Yakima Canutt ... Ben Carey

Horace B. Carpenter ... Townsman

George Chesebro ... Henchman

John Elliott ... Townsman

Elmer ... Elmer, Lullaby's Dummy

Charles King ... Henchman Ben

Bud McClure ... Townsman

Bud Osborne ... Henchman Mac

Fred Parker ... Townsman

Tex Phelps ... Townsman

Bob Woodward ... Henchman



Special footnote -- The 32 year old John Wayne was fortunate enough to have talented writers around him to write novels that could be adapted into vehicles for his career, as well as short stories and screenplays that would immortalise him as the American hero --- This film is one such example --- When you watch this film you're not watching it for the story (like you would do in 'Rio Grande' or 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'), you're watching it to see John Wayne in action --- He is the romantic embodiment of what it was like for the settling community to live in the post-civil war era --- Despite the fact that most of these westerns distort history, what Wayne delivers gives you access to his humanity --- That's what we like about him.



BIOS:

1. John Wayne (aka: Marion Robert Morrison)

Date of Birth: 26 May 1907 - Winterset, Iowa

Date of Death: 11 June 1979 - Los Angeles, California



2. Ray 'Crash' Corrigan (aka: Raymond Benard)

Date of Birth: 14 February 1902 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Date of Death: 10 August 1976 - Brookings Harbor, Oregon



3. Max Terhune

Date of Birth: 12 February 1891 - Anderson, Indiana

Date of Death: 5 June 1973 - Los Angeles, California



If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure check out other western double features --- Ask Amazon.Com to carry the volumes as they are not available on Amazon as of yet --- you can order and pick up your copy now from VCI Entertainment



THREE MESQUITEERS WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURES FROM VCI ENTERTAINMENT

VOL 1 -- GHOST TOWN GOLD & COME ON COWBOYS - (VCI #7215)

VOL 2 -- HIT THE SADDLE & HEART OF THE ROCKIES - (VCI #7218)

VOL 3 -- THE THREE MESQUITEERS & ROARIN' LEAD - (VCI #7254)

VOL 4 -- PURPLE VIGILANTES & PRAIRIE PIONEERS - (VCI #7277)

VOL 5 -- OUTLAWS OF SONORA & WEST OF CIMARRON - (VCI #7290)

VOL.6 -- CALL THE MESQUITEERS & RIDERS OF THE WHISTLING SKULL - (VCI #7310)

VOL.7 -- GANGS OF SONORA & PIONEERS OF THE WEST - (VCI #7321)

VOL.8 -- CODE OF THE OUTLAW & OKLAHOMA RENEGADES - (VCI #7330)

VOL.9 -- GAUCHOS OF EL DORADO & OUTLAWS OF CHEROKEE TRAIL - (VCI #7332)

VOL.10 - HEROES OF THE SADDLE & THE KANSAS TERRORS - (VCI #7337)

VOL.11 - RIDERS OF THE RIO GRANDE & SHADOWS ON THE SAGE - (VCI #7339)



Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") as they have rekindled my interest once again for B-Westerns and Serials --- If you're into the memories of B-Westerns with high drama, this is the one you've been anxiously waiting for --- please stand up and take a bow --- all my heroes have been cowboys!



Total Time: 55 min on VHS/DVD ~ Republic Pictures ~ (1/01/2004)"

The Three Mesquiteers Do it Again! Santa Fe Stampede

J. Pace | Tuscumbia, AL United States | 10/31/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"John Wayne and his friends, Ray Crash Corrigan, And Max Terhune are very good in this film. My rating of four stars is given, based on the type of movie. Certainly, this movie could not stand up to movies of today, but it stands up well to others of it's day. The story line is very good. It is packed with excitement. It seems that the bad guys have all their ducks in a row and Stoney Brook(John Wayne) will be destroyed by the angry mob, but you will have to watch the movie to find out what happens in the end. I recommend that you see Santa Fe Stampede."