According to Roy Rogers himself, this action-packed western remained one of his favorites. The manager of a traveling show, Rogers is wintering at a ranch belonging to wheelchair-bound Colonel Harkrider (George Cleveland), his daughter Kay (Dale Evans) and grandson Larry (Peter Miles). The latter, whose mother, a circus bareback rider, was killed during a performance, grows up with a paralyzing fear of horses. In contrast, Roy wants to purchase a wild stallion accused of being a killer but his bid is turned down and the stallion instead condemned to death. Unbeknownst to Roy, however, Monty Manson (Grant Withers), who heads a crooked "Range Patrol," saves the beast and uses it to terrorize the area's horse-breeders. Putting two and two together, Roy attempts to unmask Manson for the criminal he is but is ambushed by the patrol. The stallion, meanwhile, attacks both Colonel Harkrider and Roy's horse Trigger, Jr. but is chased off the property by Trigger himself. Overcoming his fears, Larry mounts Trigger, Jr. and joins the party searching for Roy. With Trigger's aid, Roy destroys the killer stallion in a final battle and Manson is brought to justice. Backed by Foy Willing, The Riders of the Purple Sage and Dale Evans, Roy Rogers takes time out to perform "May the Good Lord Take a Likin' to Ya", by Peter Tinturin; "The Big Rodeo", by Foy Willing; and "Stampede", by Willing and Carol Rice. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
Review
The incontestable climax of this latter-day Roy Rogers oater is the pitched battle between Trigger and the killer stallion, splendidly photographed and executed but possibly quite disturbing for the young at heart. Rogers always maintained that his favorite films were those that featured his marvelous steed, billed here as "The Smartest Horse in the Movies," and the horseflesh is indeed Trigger, Jr.'s main raison d'être. Unfortunately, the film also leaves room for the silly antics of Gordon Jones, as Roy's press agent, whose comedic style, if you can call it that, remains a far cry from, the "gol-durned persnickity females" type of comedy relief that used to enhance the Rogers westerns. In addition, so-called indoor "green sets" had replaced the location filming of earlier years, another detriment to the overall enjoyment of Trigger, Jr. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
Frank Arrigo - Art Director, William Witney - Director, Tony Martinelli - Editor, R. Dale Butts - Composer (Music Score), R. Dale Butts - Musical Direction/Supervision, Peter Tinturin - Songwriter, Foy Willing - Songwriter, Jack A. Marta - Cinematographer, Edward J. White - Producer, Gerald Geraghty - Screenwriter
