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A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

The acting in this movie is really good.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

So as I don't forget, that's Andy Clyde in my summary line above, getting fitted for a new suit. I think the tailor did his job.This is one of those 'turn of the century' Westerns in which that new contraption, the automobile, makes it's appearance. It's an open air model that gets the attention of all the folks at the Mesa City 'Big Celebration', including Hopalong Cassidy (William Boyd) and his sidekicks California Carlson (Clyde) and Lucky Jenkins (Rand Brooks). The trio find themselves with a little free time, and Hoppy, probably against his better judgment, agrees to head for Mesa City, even after stating "There's no place like home to spend a vacation".Say, check this out - when the boys arrive in Mesa City and are greeted by the mayor, he invites them to sign the city register as guests. Right after Hoppy makes his signature, California does the same, but notice - Lucky Jenkins signature is already in the book above Hoppy's name, and he didn't even sign in! By the way, California made his mark as 'Xx', the small 'x' stood for 'junior'! I never knew he was a junior.As is always the case with these era films, no matter if it's a mystery, drama or a Western, the principal character who's on vacation winds up working at his usual occupation, in this case, Hoppy and the boys investigate a bank robbery. In the process, there's a switcheroo in which California's suitcase with his traveling clothes gets mixed up with the bank robbers' stash when they bump into each other following the heist. Now I can't tell you how many movie Western bank robberies I've seen, but never have I come across one where the bad guys bring a suitcase with them to steal the loot. Usually it's dumped in a burlap sack, but in this case we'll have to go with it to make the story work.Well, Hoppy had his eye on a number of potential crooks in the story and he was pretty much right on all of them. As far fetched as the suitcase swindle goes, I don't think I've ever seen a dumber outlaw than that guy Dunning (Leonard Penn), who runs right through a hotel lobby with plenty of witnesses, and the suitcase in his hand trying to make a getaway. Had he simply gone out a different way he might have made it.Instead, we have the customary good guy chase after the bad guys, but in this instance, it's a horse posse following the bandits in their motor vehicle. Too bad though, no one bothered to check the gas gauge - they ran out of fuel! The story closes out with Hoppy and his pals heading back to the Bar-20, and this is one of the few times you'll hear Cassidy call out his horse's name. Fans will know his name was Topper, but in this case, the cowboy hero shouts 'Let's go Toppy!"

I think Bill Boyd had a lot more fun toying with Rand Brooks and Andy Clyde about taking a little time for a vacation from the Bar 20 than he did when he actually got to Mesa City. Because when they got there Hoppy, Lucky, and California get hip deep in a bank robbery or at least the solving of it.This Cassidy feature has a lot more humor than most, it almost plays like a comedy. Not quite though because Hopalong Cassidy was still a most serious cowboy hero to the youth of the nation. It all involves Andy Clyde spending some money for a new suit and a suitcase to pack it in. It gets switched with the suitcase the robbers hid the loot in. Hoppy baits a most clever trap to get the outlaws.In keeping with the times over in Mesa City one of the characters comes into town driving one of those newfangled horseless carriages. Hoppy says it's the way of the future, but California is both curious and intimidated by the contraption.One of the better films in the latter part of the Hopalong Cassidy series.

One of Hoppy's later outings – William Boyd somehow looked a lot older (in a staid grey shirt, out of black for most of the picture), and even a new fangled motorcar played a part in the plot!Lucky and California are hankering after a bit of fun for a change and their pestering of Hoppy eventually pays off when he decides to stop at Mesa City awhile for their Welcome Stranger celebrations. He can tell at a glance – and therefore we can - that there's dirty work afoot and who the baddie must be. The bank is duly robbed and California is implicated in it by simply bumping into one of the baddies in the dark and unintentionally swapping suitcases. Anyway, spending the night in jail gave Andy Clyde the chance for a splendid monologue while waiting for his huge ham sandwich from Lucky. Hoppy isn't overly perturbed by the events - even if you don't know how it will all turn out he is the epitome of reassurance! Favorite bits: The square dance; the leisurely posse chasing the dignified car full of baddies; Jeff Corey abruptly finding out crime doesn't pay; the shots through the "dummy waiter" - and generally high production values throughout.It was another nice one from the team, a little less gun-play than usual to be sure but well worth a look in just the same.

Not the usual Hoppy music & no TV theme music added onto the beginning of this authorized tape. Hoppy is dressed all in black at the beginning, but changes to a rancher's outfit 20 minutes into the film (a bad sign which usually leads to more talk & less action, e.g., he wears no guns while wearing his rancher's outfit, & in this movie, takes Lucky's gun). Set in Mesa City in the late 1890s to early 1900s (based on the `horseless carriage' that shows up). Blooper: a square dance caller closes his mouth but his calls continue! Interesting touches: 1) Hoppy dances, which is somewhat of a rarity; 2) nice photography (especially when Hoppy is seen through a double wall opening to a dumb waiter); 3) long comedy monolog by California; 4) a posse on horseback chases robbers in a car; 5) the heroine (MW) is quite forgettable & has an unusually small role for a Hoppy heroine (even Lucky doesn't fall all over her, as he usually does); 6) Hoppy returns to his black outfit near the end, & calls his horse `Topper,' which I haven't heard too often. A pleasant film, but not among Hoppy's best, either as a western or as a mystery. I rate this 5/10.