Desert Passage [1952] [DVD]

Western starring Tim Holt. Two stagecoach owners, Tim and Chito, become embroiled with an ex-con who asks to be taken across the border into Mexico.

After 12 years of grinding out nearly 50 B-westerns for RKO Radio with occasional (and sometimes memorable) appearances in bigger pictures, Tim Holt turned in his saddle and - save some fleeting later appearances - retired from the big screen. Far from ending the series on a high note, this one cuts back on action and atmosphere with a minimum number of extras and most of the scenes located indoors at a hostelry.

The story is lively enough, though, with Holt and sidekick Richard Martin driving a stagecoach carrying loot coveted by various parties, including John Dehner and Clayton Moore (best known for playing the Lone Ranger on TV in the 1950s).