TOPA TOPA aka Children Of The Wild (1938) Joan Valerie, James Bush | Adventure, Drama, Romance | B&W

Topa Topa is a 1938 American Western film directed by Charles Hutchison and Vin Moore and starring Joan Valerie, James Bush and LeRoy Mason. The film was originally distributed by the Poverty Row company Pennant Pictures, but was rereleased the following year by Grand National Pictures with the alternative title Children of the Wild.

SYNOPSIS
After a dispute between two fur trappers ends in one being killed, suspicion wrongly falls on the dead man's wolfdog.

Tom Turner, a naturalist, comes to the "Topa Topa" district (named for the mountain), and falls in love with widow Margaret Weston. This irks fur-trapper Pete Taylor, who has designs on Margaret himself. Pete's partner, Joe Morton, accuses him of stealing some pelts and this angers Pete to the point where he kills Morton. Pete then uses the head of a dead wolf to bite Morton and make it appear that Silver Wolf killed Morton. Silver Wolf is immediately placed on trial and a judge rules him guilty, and orders him killed.

CAST & CREW
Joan Valerie as Margaret Weston (as Helen Hughes)
James Bush as Jim Turner
LeRoy Mason as Pete Taylor
Ruth Coleman as Laura Morton
Jill L'Estrange as Jill Morton
Trevor Bardette as Joe Morton
Fred Santley as Chuck Foster
Lyons Wickland as The Coroner
Patsy Moran as Lydia
Murdock MacQuarrie as Hunter
Silver Wolf as Fangs - the Dog
Goldie as Goldie - the Eagle

Directed by Charles Hutchison, Vin Moore
Written by Charles Diltz, Hilda May Young
Produced by William M. Vogel
Cinematography Robert Doran
Edited by Charles Diltz
Music by Edward Kilenyi
Production company Franklyn Warner Productions
Distributed by Pennant Pictures, Grand National Pictures
Release date March 17, 1938
Running time 58 minutes
Country United States
Language English