The Marauders

With King Of The Raiders as an example you can see how the Hopalong Cassidy series was running out of steam. Budgets got cheaper when producer Harry Sherman started doing his series independently releasing them through United Artists. More production values definitely were over at Paramount. This film essentially is one scene play most of action taking place in a church where William Boyd, Andy Clyde, and Rand Brooks go for shelter one stormy night.

Where they find mother and daughter Mary Newton and Dorinda Clifton together with 'Deacon' Ian Wolfe. In the morning there are some other people who say they own the property and want to tear down the church. The women object as Newton is the widow of the late pastor and Clifton his daughter. Mother and daughter in distress, nothing else for a cowboy hero to do but fight for them.

So they're all holed up in the church defending it like the Alamo. Still I can't believe there was a back door for Hoppy to go in and out of . You'd think the bad guys would be watching it.

If you can't figure who is the dastardly villain you haven't seen too many of these. That could be a blessing.