Although there are some interesting aspects to "The Vanishing Riders", exceptionally low production values doom this to the grade-C level at best. The film stars Bill Cody--and, oddly enough, that is his real name! You'd think his having the same name as Buffalo Bill Cody would have been the result of some studio, but according to IMDb that was his name. And, also interesting is that Cody's son, Bill Junior also stars in the film. However, apart from that there really isn't much to recommend this one. The reason is that it's not even good enough for most B-movies--coming from a tiny film studio and starring a bunch of folks who simply cannot act. The overall product is cheap, dull and uninspiring--with no incidental music nor money spent to make it look anything other than a cut-rate production. By the way, about seven minutes was trimmed from this one, though I doubt is anyone would care.
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planktonrules13 October 2013
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JohnHowardReid6 September 2015Oliver Drake has around 217 writing credits (including TV eps), but this one is aimed strictly for the kids – and even they will probably resent its scanty production values and likewise be bored silly. I'll admit that Ethel Jackson is a delight, but her role is small. She made only three movies, alas, but I'll be watching out for her in Six Gun Justice. The other players in this movie are strictly from hunger. Add verbose dialogue, a routine plot, dull direction and minimal production values and we suddenly realize that "vanishing" is indeed the key word in the picture's title. Aside from Miss Jackson, I can't see how adults could relate in any way to this Poverty Row effort with its minimal budget, verbose but totally inconsequential dialogue, contrived yet boring and totally uninteresting and unengaging plot. Available on a mercifully shortened Alpha DVD on a double bill with "Frontier Days".
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JohnHowardReid20 April 2018Director: BOB HILL. Original story and screenplay: Oliver Drake. Photography: Bill Hyers. Film editor: Holbrook N. Todd. Stunts: Francis Walker. Producer: Ray Kirkwood.
Not copyrighted by Spectrum Pictures Corp. U.S. release on 3 July 1935 through States Rights Independent Exchanges. 58 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Sheriff "adopts" orphaned lad and then comes to the aid of a pretty girl whose ranch is in danger from a well-organized gang of rustlers, led by the notorious outlaw, Wolf Larson (sic).
COMMENT: Not one of Bill Cody's better efforts. The script veers an uneasy course between suspense and cornball comedy, finally electing for plain slapstick. Mind you, Budd Buster never has the slightest doubt where the script is headed. He plays all his scenes in a disconcertingly broad, hammy style. On another level, the young lad is also consistently awful.
However, it's sad to see a fine actor like Wally Wales attempting to make something of the ridiculous script. The super-lovely Ethel Jackson also deserves better. Bob Hill's direction never amounts to anything more than mercilessly routine. Even by the humble standards of a kids' matinee offering, production values are minuscule. In short, our Vanishing Riders are a bore. -
Chance2000esl28 December 2007When Budd Buster (veteran of over 300 TV and movie westerns) says that the villain, Wolf Larsen, is "raising heck!" you can tell this one looks like it was made for children. If not, it must have been put together to follow P.T. Barnum's words of wisdom, "You'll never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American Public." (Or was it Vince McMahon who said that?)
It's in the long line of ghost town / ghost cave / ghost rider cheapies so common in B westerns of the thirties and forties. But even that dignifies the movie too much. Nothing worthwhile here, except to see that the real star of the film, Bill Cody, Jr. (who must have been about 10 years old) can out act his father, Bill Cody, Sr., who is best known for starring in "the worst B movie western ever made." (Let's see if you can fnd it.)
The director, Robert Hill, is best known for directing 'Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars' (1938), felt by many to be the weakest of the three 'Flash Gordon' serials (though it features strong work by Charles Middleton as Ming the Merciless). In this one we see Hal Taliaferro (Wally Wales) featured prominently as the evil gang leader, but otherwise it's a double F: File and Forget. I generously give it a 2. -
Michael_Elliott26 October 2015The Vanishing Riders (1935)
* 1/2 (out of 4)
Sheriff Bill Jones (Bill Cody) has to shoot a man in the line of duty and afterwards noticing that the man's son Tim (Bill Cody, Jr.) is going to be an orphan. The Sheriff agrees to take the boy as his own and soon the two of them are investigating an old haunted mine where bad guy Wolf Larson (Wally Wales) is working.
THE VANISHING RIDERS is a pretty bad "C" Western from the days where these type of films were probably being released weekly. This one here manages to have a few interesting moments throughout but there are just way too many bad ones to keep this thing from being better known. As you can tell, this was mainly a film where Cody and his son could share the screen but sadly this here is one of the weakest aspects. The sugar-coated cute scenes are just annoying and come across more laughable than anything else.
The actual performances aren't anything too special either with both Cody's coming across rather bland. Wales doesn't make for much of a bad guy either but I will say Bud Buster gets a few funny lines as the sidekick. The one thing that does somewhat work are the horror elements including the various talks about the mine being haunted as well as the ending where we get a lot of characters dresses up as skeletons. Still, THE VANISHING RIDERS doesn't have enough going for it to make it worth viewing. -
FightingWesterner1 December 2009After killing an outlaw, Bill Cody quits his job as a sheriff and vows to raise the outlaw's orphaned son. Riding off to start a new life, they soon find themselves in a creepy ghost town where Cody accepts a job working for a lady rancher alongside dubious characters that plan on rustling the cattle as well as riding off with the attractive rancher!
The Vanishing Riders is kind of creaky and a bit short on action. However, it has a spirited main villain and a nifty final fifteen-minutes where Cody and son dress up like skeletal riders atop phantom horses, frightening the superstitious rustlers into submission.
Things are never really boring. However, one wishes that the first half would have been more interesting. -
LeCarpentier1 October 2022Producer Ray Kirkwood hired veteran western screen writer Oliver Drake to come up with vehicles for genial Bill Cody, and the ever-creative Mr. Drake was never at a loss for offbeat plot elements to make his screenplays stand out. This time around, Cody is co-starred with his 10-year-old son, Billy, in a wild tale set in a ghost town - its sole occupant being versatile Budd Buster in an old-timer role. The despicable outlaw, Wolf Lawson, is terrorizing lovely Joan Stanley (Ethel Jackson) in order to gain control of her ranch. Wally Wales/Hal Taliaferro outdoes himself in the role of the nefarious Lawson, and the amiable Cody offers to help the pretty young woman by putting an end to the rustling and other atrocities.
In view of the fact that outlaws are "known to be superstitious," Cody Sr. And Cody Jr. Demoralize the evil-doers by posing as spooks, wearing skeleton-themed shrouds and attiring their horses in the same manner. The youngster plays a major role in bringing the criminals to justice, to the delight of his young fans.
There can be no comparison between this fun-to-watch, independently produced Spectrum Pictures release and the more lavishly mounted pictures of the era. Among the Cody films produced by Kirkwood, however, this one delights the devotees of the series with its outrageous plot and unlikely situations - and the expected outcome, with the cheerful Codys restoring justice and peace to the community. -
dougdoepke18 January 2018Lame oater even by matinee standards. There's little action, no suspense, and hokey scenes building up 10-year old Cody Jr. In fact, it's really the aggressive youngster who thwarts the baddies, while Dad (Cody Sr.) amiably gives up the spotlight. Then too, judging from all the rope tying and twirling, one might think somebody had a big interest in hemp rather than in westerns. There is some hard riding, and a humorous turn from old goat Buster. Also, the spooky dress-up scenes are pretty well done thanks mainly to the costuming and lighting. Nonetheless, events are limply directed with scenes following one another in no particular order. All in all, the hour looks like an effort at literally putting together a kids' western that failed.