Corpus Christi Bandits

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Allan Lane and Helen Talbot in Corpus Christi Bandits (1945)

In flashback, Mr. Christi relates the story of his father Corpus Christi Jim. After robbing a stage, Jim and partners Rocky and Steve decide to go straight and return the money. But the four... Read allIn flashback, Mr. Christi relates the story of his father Corpus Christi Jim. After robbing a stage, Jim and partners Rocky and Steve decide to go straight and return the money. But the fourth member of the gang, Spade refuses and leaves. The two former partners soon find themsel... Read allIn flashback, Mr. Christi relates the story of his father Corpus Christi Jim. After robbing a stage, Jim and partners Rocky and Steve decide to go straight and return the money. But the fourth member of the gang, Spade refuses and leaves. The two former partners soon find themselves on opposite sides of the law.

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IMDb RATING

5.8/10

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3User reviews

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Featured review

4/10

Unusual Lane Oater!

"Corpus Christi Bandits" was released in 1945 during the closing days of WWII. There are two things which set this Allan Lane series western apart.

The first is a prologue and epilogue set in the present (1945) where war hero James Christi (Lane) is about to be honored by the Governor. His younger sister (Twinkle Watts) and her friends emulate James' heroics in a homemade bomber. As James leaves for the state capitol, his parents (Ruth Lee, Francis MacDonald) tell the youngster the story of her grandfather in the days following the Civil War.

That leads me to the second item. The egotistical Lane always took special care in presenting his image to the public. However, in the opening scenes of the flashback, he appears unshaven and in grubby clothes and in God forbid, a black hat.

Anyway the story has Lane and his three Civil war buddies (Tom London, Bob Wilke, Kenne Duncan) holding up the stage because the war has made it impossible for Southern war vets to make an honest living. Lane then decides to go straight and settle in Corpus Christi. There he finds the town being run by local saloon owner Wade Larkin (Roy Barcroft) and his gang. Larkin is being opposed only by the local newspaper run by the brother and sister team of Alonzo and Dorothy Adams (Jack Kirk, Helen Talbot. Lane decides to become the town lawman and clean up the town. Duncan decides to join up with Barcroft and well you know the rest.

Allan Lane would later become more famous with the kiddies as Red Ryder, taking over from "Wild Bill" Elliot in 1946 and as "Rocky Lane in a series that ran from 1948 to 1953. Bob Wilke or Robert J. Wilke would achieve greater fame playing brutish villains in both grade "A" and "B" westerns.