Land and the Law

An investigator with the Cattlemen's Association calls in the Range Busters - "Crash" Corrigan, Denny Moore, and "Alibi" Turhane - to help catch rustlers who have been selling beef on the black market for exorbitant prices. Almost immediately upon arriving, they see head rustler Slade shoot the investigator in cold blood - and because he was first on the scene, Crash is wrongly jailed for the murder. While Corrigan stews in jail, Denny and Alibi take jobs at the Prescott ranch, which the rustlers have a particular interest in. Escaping from prison, Crash joins up with his partners to help keep the Prescotts safe and smash the rustlers - that is if he can avoid the authorities, who still want him for murder!

Also known as Black Market Rustlers, Land and the Law is the next-to-last in the Range Busters' twenty-four film series and the rarest of them all. Actors came and went in the cowboy trio, but Max "Alibi" Terhune was in every production, usually accompanied by his dummy, Elmer. The remaining pair were portrayed variously by Ray 'Crash' Corrigan, John King, David Sharpe and Dennis Moore. Corrigan returned to the series after a two year hiatus and stayed for the final four films of the popular franchise. Land and the Law has a patriotic bent owing to its release during the height of World War II. Selling beef on the black market was considered a particularly un-American crime at the time since it violated wartime rationing. Cowgirl and love interest Evelyn Finley is renowned as one of the few Western actresses of the era who could actually ride a horse - and do it well!