Code of the Prairie

Keeping Smiley Burnette busy after Gene Autry went into the service, Repblic Pictures teamed him as a sidekick to Sunset Carson in Code Of The Prarie. In this film Sunset and Smiley are sent for to be sheriff in a wide open lawless Oklahoma Panhandle town. Certain forces want to keep it that way.

The secret head of the outlaws is town barber Roy Barcroft who kills the local newspaper editor when he spots the barber for a notorious outlaw. It may be too late though as Barcroft's men have intimidated enough voters to elect his man Weldon Heyburn as the new sheriff.

Smiley Burnette saves everyone's bacon here with his photography equipment and his knowledge of developing pictures. In fact the ending of this Republic western breaks down the wall between audience and players at the very end. Just like a Road picture. Not easy for justice to triumph here as Barcroft is one crafty villain.

Nice Republic western, Sunset Carson was a good cowboy hero, sadly forgotten today.