Renegades of Sonora


60m 1948

Brief Synopsis

As a valuable Indian tribal belt is being brought to the Indian Agent, Rocky Lane breaks up an attack on the courier. When the courier dies, Rocky delivers the belt to the Agent. But he quickly finds himself arrested for murder and learns not only is the belt missing, but the murdered Agent is not the man he gave the belt to.

Film Details

Genre
Western
Release Date
Nov 24, 1948
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Republic Pictures Corp.
Distribution Company
Republic Pictures Corp.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
60m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1

Synopsis

On a Western trail, a courier named Hank ambushes two Indians and steals their sacred belt. During the attack, Chief Blue Feather is killed, which sends his tribe on the warpath. Meanwhile, in a nearby town, at the stage and freight depot that he operates, George Keeler informs townsman Nugget Clark about the war, saying that Sheriff Jim Crawford will attempt to negotiate peace with the Indians. Later, when Hank delivers the belt to George, he learns about the war and decides to return the belt, which is not particularly valuable. On his way to deliver the belt to an Indian agent in Sonora, California, Hank is followed by three men who shoot at him. Rocky Lane, who is on his way to buy a ranch in Wyoming, hears the shots and tries to save Hank, but is too severely wounded. As he dies, Hank makes Rocky promise to deliver the belt to the agent. Rocky finds the agent and explains that Hank has been killed. The agent then assures Rocky that the murder will be reported to the sheriff. Later, when the agent is found dead, Nugget tells the sheriff that he saw Rocky leaving the agent's office earlier, and Rocky is arrested. They then question Rocky, who explains that the man found dead was not the person who had taken the belt from him. With Rocky in jail, the sheriff's deputies look for the agent's body, but George informs the sheriff that the agent has returned safely. Later, as the Indians prepare to attack, Eagle Cloud visits the sheriff demanding to know why his "brother," the Indian agent, was killed and says that he will attack at sunrise unless the belt is returned. Meanwhile, at the depot, Pete Lasker, who has been posing as the dead agent, gives George the belt. They prepare to evacuate with the prospector's gold after the Indians have destroyed the town, and return as heroes with the belt. When Rocky sees Pete leaving the depot, he breaks out of the jail cell across the street and follows him. When Nugget catches Rocky, he explains that he has seen the man who impersonated the agent, and they decide to follow Pete together. Pete attempts to escape, but gets his neck caught on a hanging vine and strangles to death. Now suspicious of George, Rocky and Nugget go to the depot that evening, where they see George's men loading wagons for the evacuation. Pretending to be one of the men, Rocky rides his horse Black Jack into the depot and tells Nugget to go get the sheriff. When George's men discover Nugget and Black Jack outside the depot, they bind and gag both of them. After Keeler's gang has left for Bedrock Pass, Black Jack uses his teeth to untie their ropes. Rocky and Nugget travel to the Indian camp to recruit the Indians' help in retrieving the belt. The Indians force Keeler's wagon train into a circle, and as Rocky fights with him, George is accidentally stabbed with his own knife. After the belt is returned to the Indians and the town made safe from attack, Rocky says farewell to Nugget and the townspeople.

Film Details

Genre
Western
Release Date
Nov 24, 1948
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Republic Pictures Corp.
Distribution Company
Republic Pictures Corp.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
60m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1

Quotes

Trivia

Notes

Modern sources include the following in the cast: William Henry, Douglas Fowley and Art Dillard.