This Hopalong Cassidy was one of the wilder films of the series. For one thing Hoppy and his pals are serving as expedition guides into the California desert for some archaeologists who want to prove that the Chinese settled here before Columbus or the Vikings arrived.This was a really stupid premise and these people of science which included a woman, the upcoming Barbara Britton, look like professors of the absent minded kind.Who's settled there was some Chinese people seeking refuge and headed by dragon lady type Soo Young. I guess Anna May Wong was unavailable. They do have however a goldmine that some villainous Occidentals want to steal. That's where Hoppy and his friends come in.One of the sillier Cassidy films.

What a great movie. The storyline was truly ahead of its time, during a period of flagrant racism in the 1940's. It was great to see Cassidy stand up for the weaker Chinese immigrants. I loved the ending when Cassidy rides to the land office to claim the mine for the Chinese immigrants that discovered it. I was really surprised to find a movie from this time period that was actually a very accurate portrayal of early 19th century Chinese immigration. The early Chinese settlers came from the Canton province of mainland China, where they were drawn to the West with opportunities in the railroad expansion connecting together the eastern US with the western US. A treasured movie indeed.

Poor entry in the Hoppy series — seems out of place for a Hoppy film. Reminded me of Tarzan leading an expedition through sacred ruins to old Egyptian remains. It was confusing for most of the time. We didn't know —till the end— what the disparate groups wanted and how they knew so much about each other.**Spoilers*** There was the scientific expedition Hoppy was leading to old Indian ruins. There were Chinese who we later learn were interested in protecting their "Shangri La" community hidden in the desert, waiting to file legal claim to it. And there were American gunmen believing that there was a hidden gold mine in the Indian ruins that the Chinese were hiding. Added to that was the Sheriff and his posse wondering what to do.The mystery was confusing and boring. There was little action (gunplay). The sets at the ruins were phony looking. Mostly there was boring talking. I love Hoppy movies generally, but find it hard to take his comic sidekicks (California Carlson here). Hoppy's young romantic sidekick here was the worst of the lot (Brad King as Johnny Nelson); he was a stiff, uninteresting actor.

Just who is the villain in Secret of the Wastelands? Is it Salters the lawyer? Are those Chinese store owners evil or just mysterious? What secrets will be uncovered by the archaeologists digging around abandoned Indian dwellings built on a mountainside? Secret of the Wastelands starts off like a good Hopalong Cassidy adventure, but it gets stranger as it goes.Hoppy, California and Johnny are hired to escort a team of archaeologists into the desert. A knife attack from a Chinese man is a warning to cancel the trip, but Hoppy is not so easily dissuaded. The cook hired for the trip happens to be Chinese, and is a strong suspect for attempts at sabotaging the expedition. Concern by the Chinese merchants is apparent, but there is no obvious reason for a connection between them and the Indian ruins. Slade Salters observes the situation and suspects that the archaeologist may find a source of gold connected that connects the Chinese with the abandoned Indian ruins. Salters has his men follow the team so he can take over if and when the time is right. The story keeps the viewer slightly off guard until the end when all questions are answered with an ending that I found to be unrealistic.The scenery goes between normal western surroundings like the town and the open range. The site of the archaeological dig looks more appropriate for an Egyptian or South American setting. The Chinese characters seem a bit unrealistic, too. Any time cowboys are taken out of a traditional western settings a movie takes a chance. Usually the outcome is disappointing. Viewing with an open mind helps sometimes.As in every adventure, Hoppy's younger sidekick chases after the girl. This time it is Jennifer Kendall, the young female archaeologist. Sadly for Johnny, the girl just is not interested in him. Brad King played Johnny Neslon in this movie, and even had a singing part. I have seen better acting and singing by King in other Hopalong Cassidy movies.Secret of the Wastelands is an odd entry into the Hopalong Cassidy series. While Hopalong Cassidy movies were often better than other westerns, this one is not my favorite Hoppy movie.