The Three Mesquiteers: Outlaws of Sonora

Holdup men are running wild in Mesquite County, and the authorities don't know who they are or when they'll strike next. The Cattlemen's Association is about to entrust Mesquiteers Stony Brooke, Tucson Smith, and Lullaby Joslin with a $22,000 deposit from The Red Rock Bank. Traveling alone en route to the bank, Stony is accosted by the outlaws. In a moment of inspiration, gang leader Dude Brannen notices an uncanny resemblance between himself and Brooke, and decides to take his place. Unable to fool the bank manager, Brannen shoots him and grabs the cash, leaving the law, townspeople, and even the Mesquiteers believing that Stony Brooke is a murderer. Meanwhile, the real Stony has outlived his usefulness to Dude, and makes a daring escape. In desperate need of sanctuary, he convinces Tucson and Lullaby that he is not guilty, and the reunited Mesquiteers execute a plan that gives the masquerading Dude Brannen a taste of his own medicine.

Republic's Three Mesquiteers series was the flashpoint for the numerous "trio" westerns that sprung up in the early 1940s - The Range Busters, Rough Riders, Trail Blazers, and others all followed in the footsteps of The Mesquiteers. Over the course of 51 films and 8 years, the series would see a dozen different actors in the lead roles, including a young John Wayne. Outlaws of Sonora features the second and most well known Mesquiteer lineup, with Bob Livingston as Stony Brooke, Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Tucson Smith, and Max Terhune as "Lullaby" Joslin.

• western