There’s a range war brewing near the all-midget Tiny Town in the old West. And it’s threatening to spoil a budding romance.
The feuding ranchers are Pop Lawson and “Tex” Preston, who battled one another to a standstill 15 years earlier. Now both are seeing cattle disappear from their range again. A baddie named Bat Haines (Billy Rhodes) is determined to pit the men against one another in a ploy to wind up with both ranches.
And when “Tex” winds up dead, the blame falls on Pop’s son Buck Lawson (Billy Curtis). He lands in jail, much to the disappointment of Nancy Preston (Yvonne Moray). She just arrived in the West to live with her uncle “Tex” after both her parents died.
When bandits tried to hold up her stage, Buck showed up just in time to save the day. And she had taken a quick liking to young man, sneaking off for rides with him behind her uncle’s back.
Meanwhile, Bat makes one big mistake: With all his plotting, he ticks off a saloon gal named Nita, who’s sweet on him. And she has a big plan for getting even.
Review:
An all-midget Western. A Romeo and Juliet tale. And a singing Western at that. Yes, for better or worse, it’s all here.
Our hero (Billy Curtis) is dressed all in white. He even rides a white horse. Our villain (Billy Rhodes) wears a black hat, of course. There’s a runaway stagecoach. There’s a big explosion at the film’s climax.
There are also lots of sight gags because of the all midget cast. They walk under, rather than through, swinging saloon doors, for instance. They ride ponies, of course. And they’ve devised all sorts of ways to make up for their lack of height, like standing on a stool to play a cello.
You’ll probably find yourself smiling, maybe even laughing at some of the scenes. And shaking your head with wonder that such a film was ever made.
But, hey, it launched a career for our hero, Billy Curtis, who appeared in “The Wizard of Oz” a year later and continued to act into the 1980s. His films include the role of Mordecai in the 1973 Clint Eastwood Western, “High Plains Drifter.”
Directed by:
Sam Newfield
Cast:
Billy Curtis … Buck Lawson
Yvonne Moray … Nancy Preston
Billy Rhodes … Bat Haines
Billy Platt … Jim “Tex” Preston
John T. Bambury … Pop Lawson
Joseph Herbst … The Sheriff
Charles Becker … Otto, the Cook
Nita Krebs … Nita
George Ministeri … The Blacksmith
Karl Kosciczky … Sammy, the barber
Fern Formica … Diamond Dolly
William H. O’Docharty .. The old soak
Runtime: 62 min.
Memorable lines:
Bat Haines, speaking of Nancy Preston: “She’s not coming to a very peaceful spot.”
Her uncle, Tex Preston: “Oh, it’ll be peaceful. After I do some exterminating that needs to be done around here.”
Townsman, anticipating a showdown between Pop and Tex: “Pop Lawson just got into town.”
Townswoman: “Reckon I’d better head to the cyclone cellar.”
Nancy Preston: “Otto, I’m going riding. Would you pack up a lunch for me?”
Otto: “What would you like to eat?
Nancy: “Oh, a half dozens sandwiches. Some boiled eggs and pickles.”
Otto: “Where are you going to put all that?”
Nancy: “In my saddlebag.”
Nita to Pop Lawson: “Are you looking for Bat Haines?”
Pop: “Yes”
Nita, after an evil laugh: “In about one minute, he’ll be scattered all over these hills.”
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