Search - Gene Autry & Roy Rogers (4-DVD Pack) on DVD

"But First I'm Gonna Sing A Little Song"

Tom Without Pity | A Major Midwestern Metropolis | 05/09/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is a review for the 18 movie package of Roy Rogers and Gene Autry

B western movies that was put out by Echo Bridge entertainment in 2005.



These are films that were done for Republic Pictures in the mid

1930s until the late 1940s. So far as I know these movies were all

intended to be shown theatrically and were not made as TV programs.



Here is a list of the titles in this package:



The Gene Autry films are:



THE MAN FROM MUSIC MOUNTAIN (1938) Gene does battle with a dishonest land developer. With Smiley Burnette, Polly Jenkins and her Plowboys.



OH, SUSANAH! (1936) Gene is robbed on a train and losses his identity. With Smiley Burnette , The Light Crust Doughboys.



THE OLD BARN DANCE (1938) Horsetrader Gene goes on the radio and is eventually blamed for the sponser's dishonesty. With Smiley Burnette, Walt Shrum and his Colorado Hillbillies and Dick Weston (Roy Rogers).



THE OLD CORRAL (1936) Sheriff Gene goes after a gang of highwaymen led by Roy Rogers.

With Smiley Burnette, Sons of the Pioneers and Lon Chaney Jr.



PUBLIC COWBOY NO. 1 (1937) Cattle rustlers using modern technology stump the forces of the law until Gene pitches in. With Smiley Burnette, Ann Rutherford and William Farnham.



RIDE, RANGER, RIDE (1936) Gene tries to convince the cavalry that a Indian interpeter

is not on the level. With Smiley Burnette, Max Terhune, Monte Blue , The Tennesee Ramblers.



RIM OF THE CANYON (1949) Later day Gene Autry film featuring Gene playing both himself and his father. With Nan Leslie, Thurston Hall, Jock Mahoney, Clem Bevans, Alan Hake Jr.



YODLEIN' KID FROM PINE RIDGE (1937) It's the cattle ranchers against the turpentine

makers in this slightly unusual story set in Georgia. With Smiley Burnette, Betty

Bronson, Charles Middleton, The Tennesee Ramblers.





The Roy Rogers films are:



HANDS ACROSS THE BORDER (1944) Roy stumbles into a battle between a racnher's daughter and a sneaky competitor for an horse contract. With Ruth Terry, Guinn "Big Boy" Williams, Onslow Stevens, The Sons of the Pioneers.



BILLY THE KID RETURNS (1938) Playing dual roles, Roy resembles the famous outlaw Billy the Kid. With Smiley Burnette, Lynne Roberts, Morgan Wallace, Fred Kohler.



EYES OF TEXAS (1948) Roy helps ranch run for orphans fight the schemes of a crooked lawyer. With Francis Ford, Lynne Roberts, Andy Devinne, Roy Barcroft, Nana Bryant.



BELLS OF ROSARITA (1945) Roy Rogers, as himself, helps to save Sue Farnum's(Dale Evans) circus using an all-star Republic Pictures cowboy show. With Dale Evans, Gabby Hayes, Adele Mara, Roy Barcroft, The Sons of the Pioneers and the Republic Pictures Cowboy All-Stars.



GRAND CANYON TRAIL (1948) Roy breaks up a scheme by a dishonest mining engineer to swindle local investors. With Jane Frazee, Andy Devine, Bob Livingstone, Roy Barcroft, Jimmy Finlayson, Foy Willing and the Riders of the Purple Sage.



HELDORADO (1946) Roy goes to Las Vegas to participate in Heldorado Week, celebrating

the old western heritage of Nevada. With Gabby Hayes, Dale Evans, Paul Harvey, Brad Dexter, The Sons of the Pioneers.



ROLL ON TEXAS MOON (1946) Roy investigate a feud between the cattlemen and sheepherders.

With Gabby Hayes, Dale Evans, Dennis Hoey, Elizabeth Risden, Tom London, Shug Fisher,

The Sons of the Pioneers.



UNDER NEVADA SKIES (1946) Rodeo star Roy Rogers investigates the murder of an elderly man from Roy's hometown. With Gabby Hayes, Dale Evans, Douglas Dumbrille, Ths Sons of the Pioneers.



WEST OF THE BADLANDS aka THE BORDER LEGION (1940) Roy plays a fugitive from the east

who runs across a gang known as The Border Legion. With Gabby Hayes, Carol Hughes, Joe Sawyer, Hal Taliferro, Spade Cooley.



YOUNG BILL HICKCOCK (1940) In this "musical western" Roy works to prevent a gold

shipment from being stolen. With Gabby Hayes, Julie bishop, Monte Blue, Hal Taliferro,

John Miljan, Sally Paine, Archie Twitchell.



While I am not really that much a fan of "musical westerns," I have to admit that I

really enjoyed these films. The picture quality is pretty good and the sound is okay considering the age of the films. And, I have to say, it really is a treat seeing groups such as The Light Crust Doughboys featuring Bob Wills, Riders of the Purple Sage and The Sons of the Pioneers in their prime.



So I rate this eighteen film box set three and a half stars. Sure, many aspects of these B westerns are hokey but the music and the nostalgia factor helped make watching these "musical western" B movies a very enjoyable experience.

"