"Wild Horse Ambush" (1952) is the last of the four Red and Judy westerns that Republic made in the early 1950's as a series called "The Rough Ridin' Kids". These were relatively successful Saturday matinée features with stories told from the point of view of 10-12 year-olds. The idea would be copied by 1950's television with characters like Rusty in "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin" and "Corky and White Shadow".
Unfortunately this "we were there" idea seems to work best when the setting is a cavalry post or a circus. But like "Corky", Red (Michael Chapin) and Judy (Eilene Janssen) live in a small western town and instead of matching wits with other children they are inserted into the plot of standard "B" westerns. Red is the grandson of Sheriff Tom White (James Bell) and Judy is the reformed foster daughter of a captured outlaw. It's actually a nice premise with a lot of potential. The two young actors have a lot of charm and are good riders. Too bad the writers didn't keep things focused on childhood adventures against enemies their own age.
In "Wild Horse Ambush" they make friends with an officer in the Mexican Border Patrol and help him to crack a counterfeit ring. A gang has forced an engraver to make plates for printing Mexican currency. The bills are concealed in the manes of wild horses for transport across the border.
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
Unfortunately this "we were there" idea seems to work best when the setting is a cavalry post or a circus. But like "Corky", Red (Michael Chapin) and Judy (Eilene Janssen) live in a small western town and instead of matching wits with other children they are inserted into the plot of standard "B" westerns. Red is the grandson of Sheriff Tom White (James Bell) and Judy is the reformed foster daughter of a captured outlaw. It's actually a nice premise with a lot of potential. The two young actors have a lot of charm and are good riders. Too bad the writers didn't keep things focused on childhood adventures against enemies their own age.
In "Wild Horse Ambush" they make friends with an officer in the Mexican Border Patrol and help him to crack a counterfeit ring. A gang has forced an engraver to make plates for printing Mexican currency. The bills are concealed in the manes of wild horses for transport across the border.
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.