Review of Along the Navajo Trail

Dale Evans is upstaged, at times, by 17 year old Estelite Rodrigues, who plays a fancy-free Gypsy ingénue, Narita, who sings and dances a bit , tells fortunes, and invites Roy to romance her. More about that later.........The basic plot involves the attempt of one Richard Bentley to convince Dale's father: Breck Alastair, to sell his Ladder A ranch to him. Bentley is working in association with the Santa Fe Drilling Company, which desperately needs to run an oil pipeline that partly goes through the Ladder A. They figure they must buy the property, but an option not considered would be to lease that part of the ranch needed for an underground pipe, leaving the surface free for the rancher to graze his stock. At present, they have to run their oil into tanker cars, which is more expensive, in the long run.........Roy is an undercover US Marshal, sent to investigate allegations that Bentley and his henchmen have been committing some property crimes. While riding in the area, Roy comes across Dale clinging to her inverted wagon, in the middle of a pond, screaming for help, since she cannot swim. Roy lassos her and pulls her to shore. She is mad, saying that his method was more likely to drown her. After her wagon quickly sinks she is more grateful. Roy soon disappears, but Gabby shows up, surprisingly unhurt, after his wagon ran aground when he crashed into Dale's wagon, knocking it down a hill, into the pond. Surprisingly, Roy didn't even ask Dale if he could help her get somewhere or recover her horses. Later, Gabby reports to Dale, that he saw a man camping on her property. She tells Gabby to shoo him away, as he may be a Bentley spy. But Gabby is slow to leave, believing the fellow is harmless. Finally, Dale goes herself. She shoots a warning shot at Roy, then recognizes him as the man who saved her. At first, still insisting that he leave, she is glad to share his tarp when a storm suddenly hits. They get better acquainted, then she asks him if he wants a job, which he agrees to. .........Roy goes to town and stops at an eatery. Narita, the gypsy girl, is dancing around and on top of the tables. Bentley's forman, Rusty, helps her down off a table, but then wants to paw her. Her brother Lani tries to interfere, but is pushed aside. Then, Roy arrives and socks Rusty. After turning his back, Rusty is about to shoot Rob, when Bentley shoots Rusty's gun out of his hand. Bentley notices that Roy isn't wearing a gun(Of course, he normally wears 2 guns.). Bentley advises Roy that it's healthy to wear a gun in these parts. But, mostly, Roy ignores this advice, except when Gabby insists. Soon, Narita seeks Roy out, obviously impressed with him, and invites him to visit her at the gypsy camp. The next day, Roy is riding around the ranch, checking on things when he spies Narita at the roadside, with her dress (intentionally) caught in the barbed wire. He fixes it, and lifts her over the fence to his side. They sit under a tree and talk awhile. Unfortunately, Dale comes trotting along and is not amused at what she sees..........Roy, Gabby, Dale, and her father attend a Gypsy festival. Narita steals Roy from Dale, who is jealous..........Later, when Roy is riding toward Santa Fe, at night, to check on the drilling company, Rusty follows him, and shoots at him. Roy tricks and captures him. He spends the rest of the night trying to get Rusty to talk. Dale notices that he didn't come home that night, and assumes he spent it with Narita. She's good and jealous, and fires Roy.(Later, after she discovers that he is a US marshal, she presumably rehires him). Later, Roy discovers that the drilling company wants the Ladder A, not to drill for oil, but to run a pipeline. But, Breck refuses to sell to Bentley at any price, for whatever reason. ........Roy and Dale's workers stage a raid on Bentley's house, which contains his henchmen and a representative of the drilling company. Despite being protected by the house, Bentley's men die, one by one,while Roy's men suffer little. Dale brings the gypsy caravan, but they can do little , as they probably don't have any firearms. When Bentley is the only one left in the house, he sneaks to his buckboard, and hightails it away. Roy chases him, causing Bentley to speed too fast. His wagon doesn't negotiate a bend in the road, and his wagon, with him, goes over a steep cliff........... The gypsy's have a parting celebration, where Dale makes up to Narita, and she sings a song with Roy........... This was Estelita's first film role. She would have more for Republic.