Westerns up to the post World War II years were about good versus evil. The more heroic the hero, the better. It also didn't hurt if he were not only genial and charming, but as tough as nails. 'Genial Gene' Autry certainly had charm, but his star was soon to be eclipsed by the more handsome and more charming Roy Rogers. A film like this didn't really add to Gene's luster. Instead of being a stalwart hero, he tries to play a trick throughout the entire movie on the female lead.
Although at the time the picture was made, perhaps no one gave a thought to the fact that sheep ranching was viable or allowable near cattle country, any more than that the killing of Indians was wrong. In this movie Gene (now playing himself) tries to trick his new female ranch boss, Shirley Knight (played by stage actress Polly Rowles) out of keeping sheep she unwittingly buys for the cattle ranch, and even worse, he tries to get her to leave by convincing her that her $100,000 ranch is really the $500 totally run down 'Poker Ranch' next to it. When you see this summary written here, it makes it sound worse than it comes off in the film. He definitely feels that sheep don't belong in cattle country. Gene acts like he's just playing a little joke on her for her own good, and there's nothing wrong with that (!) -- but that's pretty much the whole movie, except for the singing.
His scheme backfires when she tries to sell the scrub ranch to the evil Briggs (Al Bridges, a villain in countless westerns). Gene has to save the day, tear up the bill of sale, and tell her the truth, so that they can ride off into the sunset together.
The songs are often the high point in Gene's movies which aren't jammed with action. We get 'Springtime in the Rockies', but not a full blown decent version, and a short rendition of 'Buffalo Gals'. Otherwise, the songs are not much. Smiley Burnette does one solo about his 'Frog' voice, and joins in on another. Even if his broad humor doesn't appeal to you, his comic skill shouldn't be underestimated, nor should the fact that since he was a song writing musician, he was actually the best and most versatile of western sidekicks (even above the more limited efforts of Andy Clyde, Andy Devine or Gabby Hayes).
Because it's mostly about Gene trying to trick Polly, rather than his being a 'standing tall' hero, I'll have to give the movie just a four.
Note: Polly Rowles gives a noteworthy performance in the 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' half hour 'The Older Sister' in 1956.
Although at the time the picture was made, perhaps no one gave a thought to the fact that sheep ranching was viable or allowable near cattle country, any more than that the killing of Indians was wrong. In this movie Gene (now playing himself) tries to trick his new female ranch boss, Shirley Knight (played by stage actress Polly Rowles) out of keeping sheep she unwittingly buys for the cattle ranch, and even worse, he tries to get her to leave by convincing her that her $100,000 ranch is really the $500 totally run down 'Poker Ranch' next to it. When you see this summary written here, it makes it sound worse than it comes off in the film. He definitely feels that sheep don't belong in cattle country. Gene acts like he's just playing a little joke on her for her own good, and there's nothing wrong with that (!) -- but that's pretty much the whole movie, except for the singing.
His scheme backfires when she tries to sell the scrub ranch to the evil Briggs (Al Bridges, a villain in countless westerns). Gene has to save the day, tear up the bill of sale, and tell her the truth, so that they can ride off into the sunset together.
The songs are often the high point in Gene's movies which aren't jammed with action. We get 'Springtime in the Rockies', but not a full blown decent version, and a short rendition of 'Buffalo Gals'. Otherwise, the songs are not much. Smiley Burnette does one solo about his 'Frog' voice, and joins in on another. Even if his broad humor doesn't appeal to you, his comic skill shouldn't be underestimated, nor should the fact that since he was a song writing musician, he was actually the best and most versatile of western sidekicks (even above the more limited efforts of Andy Clyde, Andy Devine or Gabby Hayes).
Because it's mostly about Gene trying to trick Polly, rather than his being a 'standing tall' hero, I'll have to give the movie just a four.
Note: Polly Rowles gives a noteworthy performance in the 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' half hour 'The Older Sister' in 1956.