Renfrew of the Royal Mounted (1937 film)

Canine actor Lightning in Renfrew of the Royal Mounted

In the summer of 1937, a dangerous gang of counterfeiters are transporting illegal money from the United States into Canada concealed inside frozen trout. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police assures the United States Treasury officials that they will cooperate fully in helping to apprehend the criminals. RCMP Constable MacDonald is sent out to assist in the investigation. While riding near Deer Lake, he sees a suspicious Indian rowing a canoe. When he calls to him, the Indian flees into the woods. MacDonald investigates the strange block of ice left behind and soon discovers the counterfeit money hidden inside the frozen trout. The Indian Pierre, who works for the counterfeiters, sees what has happened and kills MacDonald with a deadly throw of a knife.

Meanwhile, RCMP Sergeant Renfrew (James Newill) arrives with his men at the Deer River Annual Picnic where he competes against the Greek owner of the Totem Pole Lodge George Poulis (William Royle) to see who makes the best barbecue sauce. Renfrew meets nineteen-year-old American Virginia Bronson (Carol Hughes) and invites her to join the picnic festivities and barbecue. Their fun is interrupted by news of the killing of Constable MacDonald. Later Inspector Newcomb challenges his men to do everything they can to bring the killers to justice. That night Renfrew comforts MacDonald's grieving family, especially his son Tommy (Dickie Jones).

At the Deer River Hotel, Virginia returns to her room and finds Pierre, who gives her a note from her father asking that she meet him at the Totem Pole Lodge. Unknown to her, Virginia's father was tricked into coming to the lodge, which is being used as a center of operations for the counterfeiters, to provide new counterfeit plates for the gang. Bronson, who was once a counterfeiter, just returned from serving a five-year sentence in prison. The next day, while Virginia and Pierre are rowing to the lodge by canoe, the Indian spots Renfrew following them. When he reaches for his rifle, Virginia struggles to take away the gun and the two end up in the water. Renfrew jumps in after them and is able to rescue Virginia, but Pierre manages to escape.

While they dry off around a campfire, Renfrew and Virginia get to know each other. While attracted to the Mountie, Virginia discovers her father's picture in his possession and does not mention that he is staying at the Totem Pole Lodge. Later that night while Renfrew is asleep, Pierre shows up and Virginia sneaks away with him to the lodge. Meanwhile, her father is being forced to complete a set of counterfeit plates. He finally meets the head of the counterfeit gang—the Greek lodge owner, George Poulis.

Meanwhile, Pierre and Virginia make their way slowly to the lodge. On the road they're met by two of Poulis' thugs, and Virginia tells them they are being pursued by an officer named Renfrew. Shortly thereafter, the two thugs encounter Renfrew and try to kill him, but the Mountie and his trusted dog Lightning are able to disarm the criminals and arrest them. When Renfrew examines their new counterfeit bills, he discovers a secret message from Bronson etched in the bill's design indicating that he is being held prisoner at the Totem Pole Lodge.

Soon after, Renfrew obtains an aircraft, flies over the Totem Pole Lodge, and parachutes down to the lodge property. Poulis is surprised to see his "friend" and offers him a room. Later when Renfrew sees suspicious men loading up a car with blocks of ice, he chases after them on motorcycle. When the car crashes, the Mountie discovers the frozen trout filled with counterfeit bills. Back at the lodge, Renfrew and Poulis finally confront each other, and in the ensuing gunfight, Poulis is shot and taken under arrest.

That night on moonlit Deer Lake, Renfrew serenades Virginia in a canoe while his trusted dog Lightning looks on.

Lobby card for Renfrew of the Royal Mounted

• James Newill as Sergeant Renfrew
• Carol Hughes as Virginia Bronson
• William Royle as George Poulis
• Herbert Corthell as Mr. Bronson
• Kenneth Harlan as "Angel" Carroll
• Dickie Jones as Tommy Mac Donald
• Chief Thundercloud as Pierre
• William Austin as Constable Holly
• Donald Reed as Sergeant MacDonald
• Lightning as Renfrew's dog Lightning

• "Tale of Love" (Written by Betty Laidlaw and Robert Lively)
• "Barbecue Bill Was a Mountie" (Written by Betty Laidlaw and Robert Lively)
• "Little Son" (Written by Betty Laidlaw and Robert Lively)
• "We're Mounted Men" (Written by Betty Laidlaw and Robert Lively)

• On the Great White Trail (1938 film)
• Sky Bandits (1940 film)
• Yukon Flight (1940 film)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Renfrew of the Royal Mounted.

• Renfrew of the Royal Mounted at IMDb
• Renfrew of the Royal Mounted at the TCM Movie Database
• Renfrew of the Royal Mounted is available for free download at the Internet Archive