There's been an eight-month drought in the valley and the cattle are dying. Pierre Watkins, whose business enterprises long outstripped its origins, sends Roy Rogers out to manage his ranch and fire his crooked foreman, Roy Barcroft. Barcroft promptly enlists Watkins' wastrel son Kenneth Howell, who has been thrown out on his own resources after getting engaged to Estelita Rodriguez, in a scheme to buy the cattle for practically nothing to sell for dog food and hides. Meanwhile, the rest of the ranchers try to get water, first by rail tanker, which Barcraft blows up, then by hiring a cloud-seeding company.
As with most of Rogers' western movies, there's an interesting story, and director William Witney runs an efficient shoot. However the numbers were clearly going down; this year, Republic ceased to shoot the series in color, and the stunt gags were managed by studio shooting and miniature work. In addition, it's Pinky Lee providing comedy relief for the first of three appearances in the series, and he is out of place and awful.
There would only be two more Roy Rogers movies, and then in December of the year, his TV series would begin. I don't think anyone is slacking, but Lee stinks up the joint.
As with most of Rogers' western movies, there's an interesting story, and director William Witney runs an efficient shoot. However the numbers were clearly going down; this year, Republic ceased to shoot the series in color, and the stunt gags were managed by studio shooting and miniature work. In addition, it's Pinky Lee providing comedy relief for the first of three appearances in the series, and he is out of place and awful.
There would only be two more Roy Rogers movies, and then in December of the year, his TV series would begin. I don't think anyone is slacking, but Lee stinks up the joint.