Secret Patrol (1936)

• 52%
• 1936
• Action
• Romance
• David Selman
• Charles Starrett
• J.P. McGowan
• James McGrath

One of the two dozen or more Canadian-produced (usually by Kenneth J. Bishop) films distributed by Columbia circa 1935-39 in order to comply with (and circumvent) the British-Quota Law that basically required a large percentage of the cast and crew of a small percentage of the total films distributed by American film companies to the UK had to be comprised of British subjects and shot on British or Dominion soil.Distributing the Bishop-Canadian made films was cheaper for Columbia than building and maintaining a studio in London.Since Charles Starrett and stunt man Ted Mapes were about the only people connected to this film that currently or in the past weren't subjects of HRM, this film more than qualified.In this one, RCMP Alan Barclay (Charles Starrett)) is sent to investigate the presumed murder of his friend and fellow RCMPoliceman Gene (Henry Mollison)) when Gene's horse is found riderless or, in the words of French-born western director George Archainbaud, "empty." Gene had been sent to St.John's to investigate a series of accidents which threatened to close down the lumber mill.Undercover, Alan asks for a job at the mill and hears of an accident which has killed four men. He suspects Barstow (J.P. McGowan), the camp blacksmith, who welded the chain that broke and sent the men to their death. Alan convinces Barstow that he is a fugitive from justice, and would do anything for a job. Barstow gives Alan a Mountie's uniform and tells him he is to pose as a Mountie (good plan) sent to investigate the accident. Ordinarily, at this point, the jig would be up but Ann (Finis Barton)), who knows both Alan and Gene shows up and complications arise.