Overland Trails (1948)

Johnny Mack Brown stars in this above-average B-Western from Monogram, penned under the pseudonym of Jess Bowers by veteran genre specialist Adele Buffington. Mack Brown plays Johnny Murdoch, a drifter arriving in Gold Flats in search of his prospector father. From old-timer Dusty Hanover (Raymond Hatton), Johnny learns that Old Man Murdoch was murdered for his claim by Rex Hillman (Holly Bane), a hireling of Carter Morgan (Bill Kennedy). The latter proves to be a representative of Brandon Enterprises, a company that is grubstaking local prospectors in order to appropriate their claims when they suddenly, and mysteriously, expire. But Dusty is in possession of an old poster that proves Marc Brandon (Steve Darrell), the owner of the crooked company, to be a wanted outlaw. When Johnny accuses Brandon of killing both his father and fellow prospector Matt Cramer (Ted Adams), the elderly outlaw takes his own life. Rumors of a valuable strike at Dead Man's Basin start a gold rush and Morgan uses this opportunity to rid himself of the prospectors by having them attacked by henchmen masquerading as Indians. The entire wagon train is wiped out, except for Matt Cramer's widow, Mary (Virginia Carroll); her son, Bud (Lanny Rees); and Brandon's willful daughter, Marcia (Virginia Belmont). They are all rescued in the nick of time by Johnny and Dusty. It all comes down to a brutal fistfight between Morgan and Johnny, with the latter emerging the victor. With peace and tranquility restored, Johnny asks Marcia to marry him. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi