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Frank's Movie Log

My life at the movies.

Hoppy Serves a Writ

1943 | United States | 67 min | More...
A still from Hoppy Serves a Writ (1943)
D: 2 stars (out of 5)
on Wed Dec 02, 2020

Robert Mitchum’s inauspicious debut. He plays a grunt in an outlaw gang that’s fled into Oklahoma, where Texas sheriff Hopalong “Hoppy” Cassidy, played by William Boyd, lacks jurisdiction. Mitchum’s part amounts to a single forgettable line.

As the lead, Boyd makes an unlikely western hero. His white hair, soft physique, and eloquent demeanor feel anachronistic. Yet his performance conveys the easy confidence that comes from having played the part in 40-some prior Hopalong movies.

Although it only runs a few minutes over an hour, lots of transition shots and ill-conceived slapstick bits pad the runtime. Compounding matters, persistent scratches mar the print streaming on Amazon.

Followed by Border Patrol.

Viewing History

    Watched on
    Wed Dec 02, 2020 via Amazon