“Undercover Men”

Long ago, when I became an F.O.S. (Friend Of Steve), I tackled for the first time the mystery of Durango.  There are many mysteries surrounding the man. The ones that occupied my mind initially were these: why did they make so many of these? Why did they lavish such little thought upon them? Why didn’t they show them on TV?

I found answers in a theory which I truly cannot remember where it came from. Perhaps I read it on the internet somewhere. I’m half-sure I came up with it myself and forgot. Anyway, the theory was this: the Durango Kid films, and many of Charles Starrett’s other cowboy films, were shot as part of an agreement with England over United Kingdoms content. Part of this is true, the studios had an agreement to shoot a certain percentage of their films on English soil, or one of the colonies. In exchange, their films were allowed to be shown in the United Kingdoms. Most of the big Hollywood studios kept a studio in England for just this purpose. Columbia, however, did not have one.

So, the theory went, Starrett shot his seven to eight pictures a year and helped to fulfill the content requirements.

That’s because they were all shot in Canada.

Well, our old friend Les Adams, tore this theory apart for me. He points out that only three of Starrett’s films were shot in Canada, “Stampede” (1936), “Secret Patrol” (1936) and “Undercover Men” (1934).

Set in the “Town of Highland” as the burn tells us, this gangster film has Charles playing Bob Hunter.  Bob is a cashier at a local bank.  When the place is robbed, he cooperates to protect the customers (including his fiance.)  He is branded a coward and fired.  He joins the Mounties to show his true character and catch them hoods who done it.

Bob’s a pretty straight arrow to begin with so there’s not much of a transformation as he becomes a Mountie.  Charles looks good in that stiff Mountie uniform, as he would again in “Outpost Of The Mounties” (see blog entry).

There are no horses in this, but there are motorcycles and Charley gets to ride one (briefly.)

When a fellow officer gets shot (by a unique assassin, a mute little guy named “Joe”), Charley uses this over-the-top surprised look — mouth wide open, body tense and frozen — that I’ve seen once or twice before.  It’s funny and effective at the same time.

There’s a twist where a superior officer calls Bob a coward so Bob hits him.  He is court-martialed.  This allows him to continue his investigation in civilian clothes.

SPOILER: The ringleader ends up being the spoiled son of the banker who got Bob fired.

One last note.  I’m loathe to correct the Master, but Les forgot “The Viking” which was shot in Labrador and Newfoundland.

— all images courtesy of Les Adams