Movie spotlight
Adventures of the Texas Kid: Border Ambush
In TV's pioneer days when kids idolized the Lone Ranger, the Texas Kid was a knight errant of the frontier leading the fight for law and order alongside his Mexican companion Pepe. In this rarely-seen TV pilot, the Kid and Pepe intercede on behalf of the murdered rancher's daughter, openly defying the landgrabbers in a cow town so lawless that rustlers operate in broad daylight! Shot at the Corrigan Ranch in 1950, TEXAS KID co-starred Mercury Records recording artist John Laurenz as Pepe and stuntman Hugh Hooker as the Kid. Hooker, a specialist in stunts involving horses and stagecoaches, often doubled Gene Autry and even produced a few movies, including the low-budget gem . That movie's star was Hugh's teenage son Buddy Joe Hooker, whose own subsequent, stellar stunt career inspired HOOPER (1978), Burt Reynolds' hit comedy tribute to movie stuntmen.
Insights
Plot Summary
A young rancher, falsely accused of rustling, must clear his name and stop a ruthless gang from inciting conflict between American ranchers and Mexican villagers. He teams up with a mysterious bounty hunter to expose the real culprits and prevent a border war.
Critical Reception
A modest entry in the B-Western genre, 'Border Ambush' was generally seen as a serviceable, if unexceptional, Saturday matinee feature. Critics noted its straightforward plot and action sequences, appealing primarily to younger audiences familiar with the conventions of Westerns.
What Reviewers Say
Competent, if formulaic, Western action.
Predictable plot but satisfying shootouts.
A typical, no-frills B-Western offering.
Google audience: Audience reviews for this film are scarce, but general sentiment for similar films of the era suggests enjoyment of straightforward cowboy action and clear-cut heroes and villains.
Fun Fact
The film's star, Lee "Scratch" Savage, was a relative newcomer whose screen persona was carefully crafted to appeal to a younger audience, hence the nickname "Texas Kid."
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