Rio Grande Raiders


56m 1946

Brief Synopsis

Sunset Carson, ace driver for the Harding Stagecoach Line, persuades his boss Frank Harding (Edmund Cobb) to hire his brother, Jeff (Bob Steele), recently released from the penitentiary. Sunset isn't aware that Jeff owes his release to Marc Redmond (Tristram Coffin), owner of the rival line, and that Redmond is forcing Jeff to give him advance information when the Harding stages are carrying valuable shipments, so that his henchmen can rob the stage and force Harding out of business.

Film Details

Genre
Western
Release Date
Sep 9, 1946
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Republic Pictures Corp.
Distribution Company
Republic Pictures Corp.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
56m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White

Synopsis

In a newly settled prairie town, the Harding stage, driven by Jeff Carson, pulls into a relay station. Hidden nearby are men from the competing Redmond Transportation line, with whom Jeff is in league. Jeff and Redmond's top henchman, Ramsay, stampede the stage and the other men steal its gold shipment. Jeff's brother Sunset, however, catches them and returns the gold to Frank Harding and his daughter Nancy. When Harding stage guard McLane accuses Jeff of being in on the robbery in front of Harding, Jeff quits. He is resentful about his status as an ex-convict and believes Harding was prepared to fire him. Sheriff Tom Hammon then reminds Jeff that as a parolee he must have employment or he will be returned to prison, and Jeff vows he will never go back to jail. Sunset, who had arranged Jeff's job with Harding, tries to convince his brother to remain to work on the stageline, but Jeff refuses. He then goes to Marc Redmond, who, unknown to anyone in town, was behind Jeff's parole. Redmond berates Jeff for the failed heist, but when Jeff threatens to leave town, Redmond warns him that he can have him sent back to jail and to insure his loyalty will have him followed constantly by a gunman. Later, Sunset meets his brother and again tries to persuade him to return to work for Harding, but Jeff reveals he is officially working for Redmond, without explaining Redmond's real hold on him. Sunset, aware of Redmond's corrupt reputation, is angry, and the two brothers part ways reluctantly. Upset that he has let Sunset down, Jeff returns to Redmond to demand his release, which Redmond grants on condition that Jeff do two more jobs for him. One is to drive the Redmond stage in a race against the Harding line for the coveted mail route across the territory, and the other is to make a successful hit on Harding's next gold shipment. Jeff agrees, and the next day he attempts to find out from Nancy if Sunset is driving that day's Harding stage. Suspicious, Nancy gives Jeff a vague answer, then takes a wagon to intercept the stage which Sunset is indeed driving. Jeff and the rest of the Redmond gang lie in wait at the relay stop while Ramsay follows Nancy. Nancy reaches Sunset, Tom and her father before they get to the relay stop, and they decide to transfer the gold shipment to the wagon and hide it in a nearby pass. Privately Nancy confides to Sunset her belief that Jeff may be involved in the planned robbery, and though concerned, he remains doubtful. Having overheard the plans for the gold, Ramsay returns to retrieve the gang to cut off the pass. A gunfight ensues between the Redmond and Harding gangs, and as Jeff and the men are forced to flee, Sunset recognizes his brother and is deeply disappointed. That evening Nancy tells Sunset she believes Tom is considering arresting Jeff. In order to give Sunset time to find out the truth, she later provides Jeff with an alibi for the afternoon of the attempted robbery. Sunset then goes in search of Jeff to demand an explanation. Knowing that he is still being watched by Redmond's gunman, Jeff is evasive. When Sunset goes back into town, Ramsay follows and ambushes him, but Jeff kills Ramsay, and the brothers are reconciled. The next day before the stage race, Harding promises Sunset a partnership in the company if he wins. Unknown to Jeff, one of Redmond's henchmen has hidden himself in his stage and during the race, leaps aboard the Harding stage and attacks Sunset, who fights him off and still wins the race. Afterward, Jeff, having fulfilled his promise to Redmond, declares he is leaving town, but is shot down by Redmond's gunman. Before he dies, Jeff exposes Redmond as the force behind the robberies. Sunset kills the gunman and Redmond, restoring peace to the territory.

Film Details

Genre
Western
Release Date
Sep 9, 1946
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Republic Pictures Corp.
Distribution Company
Republic Pictures Corp.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
56m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White

Quotes

Trivia

Notes

Rio Grande Raiders was Sunset Carson's last film for Republic Pictures.