The Eagle ’s Brood

(1935)

61 minutes

Directed by Howard Bretherton

Cast: William Boyd as Hopalong Cassidy, James Ellison, William Farnum, George ‘Gabby’ Hayes, Addison Richards and Joan Woodbury

Western / Action

After a youth named Pablo sees his parents murdered by outlaws, he enlists the aid of the barmaid Delores (Joan Woodbury), to get word to his grandfather, the notorious outlaw El Toro (William Farnum). En route, El Toro saves the life of Hopalong Cassidy, who had been seeking to bring him to justice. El Toro pleads with Hopalong to let him help his grandson. Although Hopalong refuses to allow El Toro to cross the border from Mexico, he agrees to go help Pablo himself and bring the outlaws to justice.

(The Eagle ’s Brood is thought by many critics to be the “grittiest” portrayal of Hopalong in his series. This episode shows Hopalong rolling his own cigarettes, buying drinks for ladies in bars and other behaviors that are not normally associated with the Hopalong portrayed on screen. It is noteworthy to mention that the books on which Hopalong are based, written by Clarence E. Mulford, were much darker and more realistic than the movies portrayed.)