Riders of Death Valley – Chapter 13: The Bridge of Disaster

OUR STORY SO FAR:  Jim Benton and his Death Valley Riders start for the smelter at Panamint with a wagon train loaded with ore from their mine.

Short-handed, Benton sends Mary to a neighboring claim to hire additional miners.  Returning she sees the prisoners, Butch and Trigger, racing to rally Wolf’s forces.

Mary overtakes the wagons and warns Jim, who starts the caravan racing for a narrow cut as Wolf and his bandits charge down upon them.  Mary, riding well out in front of the running battle…

…falls off her damn horse and has to be pulled out of the way by manly Jim Benton (Dick Foran).  Honestly, Mary (Jean Brooks) can be a problem at times.

I love that expression on both their faces, by the way.  “Don’t look now—but I think we’re about to be trampled!”  Well, of course they narrowly miss being stomped on by the runaway caravan because we’re just not that lucky; Jim carries Mary (who is apparently incapable of walking at this point) over to Tombstone (Buck Jones) and his horse, and they continue to flee because Wolf (Charles Bickford) and his gang are still in hot pursuit.  The good thing about all this is that Tex (Glenn Strange) is given something to do—he (or more accurately his stuntman) leaps onto the runaway wagon and stops it.  In fact, all of the wagons come to a halt as this time as Jim and Company decide to fight it out with the Wolf Pack.

“Hold your fire!” barks Wolf to his men.  “We haven’t got a chance out here in the open…take cover in them rocks!”  Much gunfire is exchanged for the next minute or two as the two factions demonstrate they still can’t hit a damn thing.  “Might as well save your ammunition, boys,” he warns his men as the scene then shifts to the Riders’ caravan, where Jim, Pancho (Leo Carrillo) and Borax Bill (Guinn “Big Boy” Williams) size up the situation.

BORAX: Well, looks like we got ‘em stopped, Jim…

JIM: You mean they got us stopped, Borax…

Yes indeedy, they do!

WOLF: Benton’s playin’ right into our hands…

BUTCH: Whaddya mean?

WOLF: Kirby’s got a note of his…we can hold Benton here for a couple of days, he can’t get that ore into Panamint in time to cash…

BUTCH: Well…we can keep him holed up here as long as you aim to!

WOLF: See that you do that…I’m leavin’ you in charge…

BUTCH: Where are you goin’?

WOLF: Panamint…I wanna wise Kirby up to the situation so that they’ll be no slip up on that end…scatter the men, Butch…cover the gorge from every angle…don’t let any of them get out of there…

Oh, you just know Butch (Lon Chaney, Jr.) is loving this assignment.  “You heard Wolf—I’m in charge!”  Wolf gallops off, and it’s back to the good guys’ camp…

MARY: Jim, we’ve got to do something—we’ve got to get this ore into Panamint!

JIM: I know that, Mary…

“Get off my back, would ya?”  Pancho spots Wolf riding off and calls out: “Look—the Wolf!” which kind of made me giggle, because I couldn’t help but think of the It’s the Wolf! segment on The Cattanooga Cats cartoon series (Wolf featured a lamb—“Lambsy”—voiced by Daws Butler, with a wolf by Paul Lynde and a guard dog named “Bristle Hound” voiced by Allan Melvin; it was basically Yakky Doodle redux).

PANCHO: I think he’s gonna get some help, no?

JIM: No, Pancho…he’s got enough men over there to keep us bottled up for a year…

TOMBSTONE: There’s plenty of men at the Johnson claim…let’s go get ‘em!

JIM: All right, Tomb… (To Borax and the others) You hold the fort…

Yeah, Fort Desperation…  “I’ll hold it till they make it too hard around here and then I’m gonna do some retreatin’!” vows Borax, which gets Pancho all started up with the broken English to the point where Bill dismisses him as a “frijole chomper.”  (He’s not a very tolerant man toward Latinos, I’ve noticed.)  There’s a quick shot of Jim getting up on his horse and riding off…and the smart money says he galloped off in the direction of another serial.  (I would have.)  In fact, this is the topic of conversation among Borax, Pancho, Mary and Tex as nightfall approaches.

MARY: Shouldn’t Jim and Tombstone be back by this time?

PANCHO: Maybe too far for the Johnsons to come and help us…

BORAX: The Johnsons wouldn’t turn Jim down…

TEX: Well, we know that…but they’ve had a lot of time to get back…

Face it, people: Tombstone and Jim have left you there to die, and are probably in some Mexican dive somewhere, tossing back a few and having a hearty laugh at your expense.  No, I’m only kidding—Pancho spots our heroes riding up, accompanied by a small Johnson army.  “Hitch up those teams, boys,” beams Jim.  “We’re pullin’ out at daylight.”

And the next morning finds Butch and his buddies fighting to stay awake (Butch, hombre…did you try sleeping in shifts?)…when he spots the caravan slowly pulling out and back on the road to Panamint.  Henchmen Dirk (Roy Barcroft) and Pete Gump (Richard Alexander) observe as well:

BUTCH: Hey, Pete…that Benton outfit’s movin’…

PETE: Yeah…he’s makin’ it easy pickin’s…

BUTCH: Yeah…we’ll head down that draw…catch ‘em out in the open—they won’t have a chance!

Butch and his two cohorts are joined by the two other goons, Trigger (Jack Rockwell) and Rusty (Ethan Laidlaw), and the five of them saddle up and ride off to where they’ll lie in wait for our heroes.

Okay, here’s the weirdest thing about this chapter: this guy here is clearly Noah Beery, Jr…who started out as a minor character in this serial named “Smokey” until he mysteriously vanished in Chapter 9.  There’s no explanation for his sudden return in this installment…and as a matter of fact, he’s not acknowledged by any of the other characters.  My theory is: Smokey is dead, and only we can see him.  (How’s that for a Sixth Sense reference?)

Jim and his funky bunch continue to ride along until Tombstone spots “Wolf and his gang”—though technically it’s just “and his gang” because Wolf should be back in Panamint.  Tomb suggests they just give the bandits the wagons (say what?) and Jim tells Mary to ride on up ahead in order to stay out of the battle because female.  So another chase scene ensues, and apparently the same continuity person who allowed Noah Beery, Jr. to sneak back into this serial forgot that with Wolf Reade in Panamint there should only be five riders chasing our heroes…but there are six.

Don’t even bother shooting, Smokey.  Dead men have no ammunition.

Just as it looks hopeless for our heroes, we hear a voice cry out: “All right, you Johnsons—uncover!”  How we were able to hear this above shooting, yelling and running horses will go unexplained…as will the reason why the miners at the camp have surrendered their identity and are content to be known as “Johnsons.”  (I was going to make a joke about there being “Too much Johnson” but…oh…it appears I already did.)

Anyway, the “Johnsons” were hiding in one of the wagons and they commence to shootin’ at Butch and the rest…I’m guessing, what, the wagons were bulletproof when Butch and Company gave chase, thus allowing them to rise up from their hiding places hale and hearty and ready to shoot?  Oh, what does it matter: characters coming back from the dead, five riders becoming six…clearly someone phoned this in from The Nineteenth Hole (the watering hole at the writers’ favorite golf course)—as evidenced by how the caravan winds up chasing Butch and his weasels without once turning around in their direction.

TOMBSTONE: Come on!  Let’s take ‘em, Jim!

JIM: Aw, it’s no use—they won’t bother us again!  Besides, we got a long way to go to Panamint…come on!

Ah, Panamint.  How we’ve missed you so.  Say hello to the pipe smoking guy, cartooners!

With the death of lackey Dan Gordon (William Hall) in Chapter 10, the filmmakers can no longer use the stock footage of second-in-command Rance Davis (Monte Blue) asking him as to the whereabouts of head bad guy Joseph Kirby (James Blaine).  So they switch to a different tack and have Rance ask some random saloon waiter, who clues him in that he’s in his office.  What I don’t understand is…Davis never seems to know whether Kirby is in his office or not.  I would think the guy who’s second on the totem pole would be more in the loop on these things.

KIRBY: Just in time for a little celebration, Davis…

DAVIS: Yeah?

KIRBY: Wolf tells me in twenty-four hours we’ll own the Aztec…

DAVIS: That sounds good…if Wolf hasn’t slipped up someplace…

WOLF: One of these days you’re gonna open that big mouth of yours too wide…and you’ll wake up with a lily in your hand…

“Oh…yeah?  Well…your mother’s a lily!”

DAVIS: Well, I know Benton better than you do, Wolf…what do you think about it, Kirby?

“When you say ‘know’—is that in the Biblical sense?”

KIRBY: I’m inclined to think The Wolf knows what he’s talking about…

(Butch enters the office)

BUTCH: Wolf!

WOLF: Whaddya doin’ here?

BUTCH: Benton and his men managed to work their way out of the gorge!

“On the other hand, Davis…I always did think Wolf was a bloviating blowhard…”

WOLF: Whaddya mean?  We had ‘em trapped!

BUTCH: Yeah, I know that…they started to pull out and we jumped ‘em…they had the Johnson men with ‘em, and…outnumbered us…

KIRBY: How about the ore?

BUTCH (disappointed): It’s on its way into Panamint now…

Poor Butch.  He’ll never take the herd again.

DAVIS: Fine mess you’ve made out of things!

WOLF: Waitaminnit…since when have you been tying into my men?

BUTCH (moving toward Davis): Let him go, Wolf…

WOLF: Shut up, you…

As my old Best Western Central boss, the wily and parsimonious Robert Anderson, used to say: “There’s plenty of blame to go around.”

WOLF (to Davis): You expect five men to hold off the Johnson Gang?  Keep your trap shut!

What’s this “Johnson Gang” horsesh*t?  If they’re that formidable, Kirby should have hired them in the first place and this serial would have been over by now.  Still, as the scene fades, one can detect a look of pride in Butch’s eyes.  (“He stuck up for me!  He really, really likes me!”)

The scene shifts to an area just outside of Panamint, where the caravan has come to a halt.  Jim has put Tex in charge while he and Tombstone makes plans to have the ore in the wagon smelted.  If you look to the left of Pancho, there’s Smokey…still unseen by the others, merely a ghostly apparition.  (Sad.)

MARY: Where are you going, Jim?

JIM: Tomb and I are gonna ride along ahead and make arrangements with the smelter…

TOMBSTONE: We’ll have everything ready by the time you get there…including soup!

MARY: But why can’t I go?

“Someone’s got to make coffee and sandwiches…gee whiz!”  Tomb and Jim tell their crew hasty banana and the action heads back to Kirby’s back room:

WOLF: Well, Benton hasn’t cashed that gold yet…

DAVIS: I’ll organize enough men to take it away from him before they can get in…

“You couldn’t organize a two-wagon funeral if I spotted you the hearse, douchebag…”

KIRBY: That’s what we’ve got to do!

WOLF: No…we’ll let ‘em bring it in… (To Davis) You’ve still got that warrant we fixed up?

KIRBY: Yeah…Benton threw it in his face when he tried to serve it!

DAVIS: Well, that was because Benton knew I had no authority to serve it outside Panamint!  Right here in town, that’s different!

BUTCH: Awww…let’s jump at this feller and wipe him out!

WOLF: No…there’s no sense in doing something like that in town when we can do it legal…

More like illegal.

KIRBY: I agree with Butch!  Why not wipe him out while we’ve got the chance?

WOLF (eyes narrowing): We’ll do it my way…

“Or I’ll take my whip and go home.”  Wolf instructs Kirby to round up a couple of mooks and have them “act as deputies that we can trust.”  “We’ll back your play,” he insists unconvincingly.

In the next scene, Jim and Tombstone come riding into town.  As they stop outside Kirby’s saloon, Tomb doesn’t like the layout.

TOMBSTONE: You know, Jim…we’re practically orphans here…you better keep your right hand close to your hip…

JIM: Right, Tomb…

The two men dismount and the scene then fades to this familiar sign:

Of course, “Lafe Hogan” is no longer the CEO of First Panamint Savings and Trust, having drawn his rations in Chapter 9.  Be that as it may, Jim and Tombstone enter the bank…and find Judge Knox (James Guilfoyle) at the teller’s window.  (Apparently His Honor has decided to go directly where the money is as opposed to sitting in his chambers, waiting for it to be delivered in envelopes.)

KNOX: How’s everything up at the big mine?

JIM: Couldn’t be better… (He hands him a chunk of ore) I’m bringin’ in four loads of this ore…

KNOX (scrutinizing it): Is it all like this?

JIM: You betcha!

KNOX: That’s the finest ore I’ve ever seen!

JIM: Say, Judge…would it be possible for you to advance enough money on the strength of this ore to pay Kirby’s note?

KNOX (after a pause): As soon as I get the assayer’s report…I’m pretty sure I can let you have the money…

Well, he was mighty accommodating.  Isn’t this the dinkerplatz who arranged that warrant with which Davis was going to serve Jim?  Oh, well…look what the cat left on the floor after spitting up all night—Joe Kirby!

JIM: Oh…hello, Kirby…

KIRBY: How are you, Benton…

KNOX: When will this ore be up at the smelter?

JIM: We expect it in sometime today…

KNOX: Fine!

JIM: I’ll bring you the report as soon as I get it…

Jim walks back to the bank entrance with a not-entirely-smug look on his face, and Tombstone cracks: “Horseface looked kind of surprised to see us.”

“I shouldn’t be a bit surprised,” drawls Jim as the two of them head out the door.  Back at the saloon, Davis enters the establishment again…and shakes things up by seating himself at a table occupied by Wolf and Butch, who are having a few.

DAVIS: Benton and Tombstone are in town…they’re on their way to the smelter…

BUTCH: Let’s go at ‘em now…while we’ve got the chance…

WOLF: No…we’ll do it the way we figured…

DAVIS: But, Wolf…

WOLF: Shaddup…

Sounds more like “we’ll do it the way I figured.”  (Wolf would appear to be a man who likes to call the shots.)  Well, I can skip over most of this next part: Benton and Tombstone arrive at the Panamint Smelting & Ore Refining Company, and Jim chats up a man identified as Wilson (Alonzo Price), who’s ostensibly running the joint.  Jim shows off that big honkin’ ore of his (he’s very proud) and asks him if he could get an assayer’s report—Wilson replies that they’re “a little crowded” but that he’ll see what he can do.

Outside the plant, Wolf, Davis and Wolf’s posse ride up.  “Do your job, Davis,” snarls Reade, and Rance shoots him a look that says “Bitch, please!”

DAVIS: You back me up now!

WOLF: We’ll take care of ya…

Oh, that’s reassuring.  Back in Wilson’s office, Wilson tells Benton he can have the report ready just about the time the wagons arrive with the rest of the ore.  Jim leaves the office, whistling a jaunty tune…and then he and Tomb run into you-know-who.

DAVIS: I’ve been waiting for you, Benton…

JIM: What for, Davis?

TOMBSTONE: For no good…you can bet your bottom dollar on that…

DAVIS: You’re right, Tombstone…there’s nothing good about murder…

JIM: Oh!  You’re still trying to stick me with a trumped-up murder charge, huh?

DAVIS: I’m sticking you this time!  Hand over your gun…both of you!

JIM: Wait a minute, Davis…let’s see that warrant…

Jim quickly discerns the warrant is El Fake-o Piece of Paper-o, and remarks to Davis: “You better tell Kirby to think of something else.”  Well, apparently they have—a patently phony fistfight erupts, one that would have Republic stuntmen saying “Bitch, please!”  Jim and Tomb knock their would-be brawlers to the ground with the greatest of ease, then jump on their horses and ride off, heckbent for leather.  Davis ineffectually pulls his gun out of his holster but is too late to shoot.  He fires off a shot, and the noise attracts the attention of Wolf and his gang—“Davis has messed it up,” remarks Wolf, restraining from rolling his eyes.  “Let’s go, boys!”

Yes, there’s about a minute-and-a-half left in this chapter…and that means another chase scene.  The big cliffhanger this week involves Jim and Tombstone racing away from Wolf and his gang as a thunderstorm commences (there’s a scene of the rest of the Death Valley crew transporting the ore, and Pancho remarking “Don’t you know the lightning upstairs don’t care who it hits?”).  As Jim and Tomb gallop across a bridge, a bolt of lightning hits the bridge, as if they had somehow angered Zeus and the rest of Mount Olympus…