Summary
Buck Benson, a man with a very specific set of skills involving lettuce and fisticuffs, heads to New York City to dismantle a racketeering ring. It is a classic B-movie setup where a cowboy somehow ends up fighting mobsters over produce prices, featuring Shemp Howard as his reliable sidekick.
Synopsis
Buck Benson (Buck Jones), whose father, M.H.Benson (John Elliott),heads a lettuce growers association, volunteers to go to New York City to put an end to the racketeering activities of a so-called protective organization threatening the welfare of the growers. Arriving at the NYC produce market, Buck sees two small-time racketeers, tipping over loaded hand-trucks, He changes hats with Windy (Shemp Howard), a truck driver, and roughs up the men when they try to tip his load. His action wins the favor of Fred Calhoun, middle man for the growers and Windy's employer. Calhoun's daughter, Helen (Ruth Coleman) is also impressed. While conferring with Calhoun and Helen, Buck meets two more racketeers, throws them out of the office and tells them Calhoun will remain independent. Calhoun's lawyer, Eric Ward (Donald Douglas), who is in love with Helen, is in league with the racketeers. To stop Buck, Wards calls a meeting of the contract holders and invites Buck to attend.Several of the men, under Ward's instruction, decide to bolt Calhoun's company. Buck sees a significant glance pass between Ward and one of his henchmen after the man has spoken against Calhoun. Buck declares the lettuce growers are backing Calhoun and will not bow to the racketeers. The others quickly fall in line with Calhoun. Ward next tells Bert Lohman (Stanley Blystone), president of the protective association, of his plans to stop Buck. He frames Buck into going in Lahman's office, then makes Helen and her father believe that Buck has deceived them. Winy, who runs a gymnasium for boys as a sideline, doesn't fall for the story about Buck. Sensing something is wrong, Windy calls the police and then assembles a gang of tough East Side kids. Meanwhille Ward and Lohman are forcing Buck to sign a protection contract at the point of a gun. Buck stalls for time and then manages to catch his guards unawares and escapes after a terrific fist fight. Ward and his body-guards are watching his henchmen spoil the last lettuce shipment when Windy and his gang arrive. Buck arrives just in time to see Ward leave, lassos his body guards, and then, running across a roof top, jumps into Ward's car just as he starts to drive away.
Review Excerpt
"If you've ever wondered what would happen if a cowboy wandered into a New York produce market and decided to fix the local labor relations with his bare fists, Headin' East is your answer. It is worth watching for the pure, unadulterated absurdity of watching Buck Jones act like he's still in a dusty Western while standing in front of a truck full of vegetables. If you have no patience for low-budget 1930s fluff or plots that move faster than they make sense, skip this one.
The whole premise is..."
