Secrets of the Wasteland is a lesser "Hopalong Cassidy" western, with talk taking precedence over action. This time, Hoppy (William Boyd) and his pals Johnny (Brad King) and California (Andy Clyde) head out on an archeological expedition. While encamped in the San Fernando Valley, our heroes come to the aid of a group of Chinese settlers who are being victimized by land-usurper Salter (Douglas Fowley)and his minions.. As a nod to timeliness, the head of the Chinese colony, May Soong (Soo Young), is obviously based on modern-day China's Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek, while the treacherous Salter is most Hitlerian in his gestures and attitudes. Outside of these calculated anachronisms, Secrets of the Wasteland is nothing special.