Main Cast: Ray "Crash" Corrigan, Rita Hayworth, Robert Livingston, Max "Alibi" Terhune
Release Year: 1937
Country: US
Run Time: 54 minutes
Plot
Hit the Saddle has enjoyed more latter-day attention than most of Republic's "Three Mesquiteers" western films thanks to the presence of young Rita Hayworth. Billed under her given name of Cansino, Rita plays a seductive saloon thrush who breaks the heart of Mesquiteer Stony Brook (Robert Livingston). Her role in the proceedings is secondary to the main thrust of the plot: Evil cattle rancher J.P. McGowan has been stealing wild horses from government-owned territory. McGowan murders a local sheriff and pins the blame on a wild stallion. The Mesquiteers (Livingston, Ray "Crash" Corrigan and Max Terhune) prove the nag's innocence, but not before McGowan is hoist on his own petard. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Aside from the presence of Rita Hayworth, Hit the Saddle is hardly earthshaking, what with a plot told many times before -- a wild stallion falsely accused of murder -- and a villain, whose identity should be obvious to anyone who has ever seen a Hollywood sagebrush tale. But Republic Pictures' original Mesqueteers -- Robert Livingston, Ray "Crash" Corrigan and Max Terhune -- are so engaging and the production so well assembled that a good time should be had by all. Add to that a surprisingly serious discussion about the rights of animals and you have more interesting B-Westerns of its day. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
John Victor Mackay - Art Director, Sol C. Siegel - Associate Producer, George Blair - First Assistant Director, Mack Wright - Director, Les Orlebeck - Editor, Alberto Colombo - Composer (Music Score), Sam Stept - Songwriter, Jack A. Marta - Cinematographer, Nat Levine - Producer, Terry Kellum - Sound/Sound Designer, Oliver Drake - Screenwriter, William Colt MacDonald - Book Author
