Lone Texas Ranger

Plot synopsis:
In the 1890s town of Silver City, "Iron Mike" Haines (Tom Chatterton), is a crooked sheriff who is celebrated for his character and ability to capture bad guys. The townspeople are completely unaware that he is corrupt and that the town blacksmith "Hands" Weber (Roy Barcroft), are partners in crime and are the ones instrumental in the robbing of stages and silver mines, and for framing innocent members of the population for their own misdeeds. As a result of their activities, the local Carter silver mines are near bankruptcy.
Bill Bradley (Jack Kirk), rides into town looking for a job. He talks to Weber who send him to his ranch house with instructions to wait until he can get there later that night. In the meantime, Sally Carter (Helen Talbot), of the Carter mines, waits in the company office with the Duchess (Alice Fleming), who is then introduced so Sheriff Haines. Suddenly, two of Haines's men, Whitey (Rex Lease, and Betcha (Bud Geary]]), kill Sally's uncle Horace and steal the silver that he is guarding. Haines pretends to chase the men, who return to Weber's ranch house and hide-out. They meet the cowboy, Bradley, who is angry to learn what had been done. They kill him and later Haines takes Bradley's body to town and claims that he was one of the robbers. Haines pretends to be grieved about not finding the silver however, Sally is grateful for his efforts.
The Duchess (Alice Fleming) is afraid that Sally will lose her money and so she offers financial help while she sends for her nephew, Red Ryder (Wild Bill Elliott), and his Indian Pal, Little Beaver (Robert Blake). When Red, now a Texas Ranger, and Little Beaver show up in Silver City, Sheriff Haines’ son, Tommy (Jack McClendon) returns home, having graduated from college.
When Betcha and his gang try to rob a stagecoach, Red thwarts their attempt. Whitey escapes and head back to the hideout but is captured by Red Ryder. However, Haines fatally wounds White but in the process is himself shot by Red. Dying, Haines confesses but pleads with Red Ryder to tell his son. Secretly hiding, the henchman Betcha witnesses the shooting.
Red returns to Silver City and tells the townspeople that Haines died, serving the community, in the line of duty. The citizens begin building a monument and elect Tommy as the new Sheriff, in honor of his father. Hands Weber, in the meantime, orders his men to sabotage the mines so that Sally will finally be forced to close the operation. They set off a massive explosion however the miners agree to work for free until the next shipment of silver is made.
Betcha has returned to town and has informed Hands that it was Red Ryder who killed the Sheriff. On the day of the dedication, Hands passes this information along to Tommy who confronts Ryder. While they are fighting, Hand’s gang steals the silver shipment, hiding it in a secret cellar of the blacksmith shop. Red renders Tommy unconscious and moves quickly to question Betcha. Tommy awakens and follows Red who finds the silver while Tommy learns the truth about Hand’s involvement with the gang of outlaws and about his father.
Tommy declares that he will have nothing to do with the dedication, however he is persuaded otherwise by Red who convinces him that the townspeople need heroes and that in their eyes, his father was one. When Tommy sees a young child crying because, although he contributed all his pennies for the monument, he cannot attend the ceremony because of his dirty uniform. Tommy allows the boy to play in the band and then dedicates the memorial to the “reputation” that his father had in the hears and minds of the townspeople.

Tags: revenge, murder

Review:
A good deed gets an autograph. I found a copy of Lone Texas Ranger on video at the Knoxville Film Convention in 1997. Sitting just a few feet away was the heroine, Helen Talbot, who was signing autographs for fans. Taking the video up to her, I asked if she had a copy of the film, explaining that it was the only Red Ryder she ever made. When she explained that she didn't, but would like one, I told her to give me her address and I would make one to send her. With that familiar smile and twinkle in her eyes that she always gave Don Barry when he saved her ranch in the movies, she thanked me. Not only did she give me her address but also her telephone number much to the surprise of the dealer who was sitting next to her trying to get her to autograph pictures that he planned to later sell at his table. "How do you rate her phone number. I've been sitting here talking with her and she didn't give to me." "You didn't make her the same deal I did," I explained. Since then, Helen and I have corresponded over the years and I got to know a very special lady who was as sweet in real life as she was on the screen.. ...and there's still no "The" in the title.. For their 1940-1941 serial line-up, Republic Pictures Corporation announced that one of the four serials would be called "The Lone Texas Ranger." The ink had barely dried on the announcement before the Detroit copyright owners of "The Lone Ranger" (George W. Trendle- radio station WXYZ and Lone Ranger, Inc.) objected most profoundly, wrote a couple of letters to Republic president Morris J. "Moe" Siegel and the company lawyers threatening court action, and the result was, without going to court, that "The Lone Texas Ranger" disappeared as an up-coming Republic Pictures Corporation serial and was replaced by one called "The Adventures of Red Ryder." The replacement serial turned out to be one of the most-fondly remembered and easily in the Top Ten of all Republic Pictures Corporation (which was and still is the correct name of the company.) The intended script (for "The Lone Texas Ranager") was modified slightly and used as an entry in Republic Pictures CORPORATION's 1941-1942 serial schedule...and now titled "King of the Texas Rangers." And it also turned out to be one of the jewels in Republic Pictures CORPORATION'S serial crown.In 1945, Bob Williams wrote an original screenplay for an entry in the companies Red-Ryder series, and the Republic title-namers called it "Lone Texas Ranger." And got no threatening letters from anybody in Detroit over the matter.. Print the legend?. That famous line from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance gets put to the test in Lone Texas Ranger from the Red Ryder series. After Wild Bill Elliott shoots sheriff Tom Chatterton it's Red Ryder who has to decide whether to keep the sheriff's sterling reputation or expose him as an integral part of the gang led by blacksmith Roy Barcroft. Personally I think he made the wrong choice here. The town and especially the late sheriff's son Jack McClendon could stand a whiff of the truth. Elliott and McClendon nearly shoot it out because of the white lie Elliott.I don't think that the yarn that Elliott spins is going into the official report to the Texas Rangers. At least I hope not.Giving credit to Ransom Stoddard for shooting Liberty Valance is one thing. Ransom Stoddard was a good guy who did stand up to Valance. But preserving Chatterton's reputation I don't think he deserved his legend being kept intact.