Prairie Express
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Lambert Hillyer
Johnny Mack Brown
Raymond Hatton
Virginia Belmont
Marshall Reed
William H. Ruhl
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
As Dave Porter and Faro Jenkins are crossing the Texas flats with their freight wagon, they are attacked by masked bandits. Before the outlaws make off with the wagon, however, Texas Ranger Johnny Hudson chases them off. Later, in town, Dave and Faro, who had sent for his old friend Johnny, report to Dave sister's Peggy about the attempted robbery. Peggy, who runs the freight line with Dave, worries that because of a series of holdups, the line is losing customers and is on the verge of bankruptcy. Johnny gives Dave and Peggy enough money to resupply the business and offers to buy the equipment at the county seat. Unknown to Peggy and Dave, the local banker, Gordon Gregg, has orchestrated the robberies to force the Porters into selling their ranch and is aware of Johnny's plans. Gregg arranges for Collins, one of his henchmen, to shoot Johnny, but Collins misses his mark and is tracked by Johnny and Faro to the outlaws' hideout. There Johnny and Faro are taken prisoner and tied up, while Burke, Gregg's right-hand man, rides into town to talk to Gregg. Using a piece of broken glass, Johnny cuts the rope around his hands and overwhelms the guard. Faro and Johnny then capture the entire gang and lead them at gunpoint into town. Soon after the gang is jailed, however, Gregg stabs the trusting sheriff in the back and releases them. When Johnny finds the murder weapon, he orders that every man in town be fingerprinted in order to determine the killer's identity. Although Gregg appears to cooperate with Johnny, he secretly orders Lem, his assistant, to steal the knife before Johnny sends it and the fingerprints for analysis. That night, Faro and Johnny hide in the sheriff's office, waiting for the killer to sneak in and take the knife. After Lem finds the knife, he is surprised by Johnny and Faro, but manages to escape. Lem races to Gregg's office and is shot by the banker. Gregg tells Johnny that Lem threatened his life, but the Ranger doubts his story. Later, Gregg tries to lure Johnny into a trap, but Johnny deduces the scheme and shoots two of Gregg's outlaws. Gregg then decides to place a rush order with the Porters' freight line, knowing that Johnny, Dave and Faro will have to spend a night on the trail. When Burke uses a bird call to signal to his men, who have surrounded the freighters' camp, Johnny senses danger. The outlaws attack, but are startled to discover they have shot bedrolls filled with grain. Johnny, Faro and Dave then take the outlaws by surprise, capturing all but Burke, who rides to Gregg's office and demands $5,000 at gunpoint. As Gregg is about to pull his own gun on Burke, Peggy bursts in and holds both men at gunpoint. Gregg manages to escape, but is soon cornered by Johnny, who then kills Gregg in self-defense. After the rest of the gang is hauled off for trial, Johnny reveals to Peggy and Dave that Gregg wanted their ranch because he was aware that the railroad was planning to run tracks through their property, making the land immensely valuable. His job done, Johnny bids Faro and the Porters goodbye and rides out of town.
Director
Lambert Hillyer
Cast
Johnny Mack Brown
Raymond Hatton
Virginia Belmont
Marshall Reed
William H. Ruhl
Robert Winkler
Frank La Rue
Ted Adams
Steve Darrell
Ken Adams
Gary Garrett
Hank Worden
Bob Mcelroy
Carl Mathews
Boyd Stockman
Jack Gibson
Steve Clark
I. Stanford Jolley
Jack Hendricks
Artie Ortego
Crew
Charles J. Bigelow
J. Benton Cheney
Anthony Coldeway
Eddie Davis
Edward Kay
Fred Maguire
Barney A. Sarecky
Wm. A. Sickner
Vin Taylor
Frank Webster
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was Dusty Trail.
