Das schwarze Gold

In the 1950s, the films of Gene Autry and Roy Rogers were frequently trimmed to make them fit TV time slots. In some cases, this actually improved the films--making them flow better by eliminating a few slow spots or dull songs. However, sometimes an insane editor completely destroys a film--like what happened with the copy of "Git Along Little Dogies" that I saw. It was originally 67 minutes and 15 minutes (about 20%) was chopped off--and often the edits left out important parts of the plot! And, oddly, it seems like EVERY song remained!

The plot for this film is odd--even for a Gene Autry film. It begins with Autry and a spunky lady, Doris Maxwell, getting into a tiny feud--but because of bad editing, parts of it are missing! Regardless, Gene is incredibly patient with this obnoxious lady. It turns out her father is financing an oil well whose drilling has destroyed the local water table. Gene is against it. But, when Doris bats her eyes and gets into trouble, Gene agrees to help her and the oil project. However, George Wilkens (the foreman on the well) is a conniving baddie and is determined to make the well fail--so he can then buy it himself and reveal that it is a gusher! Can Gene and Frog manage to right everything by the end of the film? What do you think? As I mentioned above, this copy (from archive.org) is lousy. The songs aren't bad, the plot a bit sub-par and there is a bit they left in where the audience sings along with a bouncing ball (YICK!). The only plus is watching Gene run and jump on his horse Champion repeatedly--it was exciting but must have caused serious damage to whoever did these stunts!! My advice is try to find the full film--otherwise forget it.

From a dedicated conservationist Gene Autry becomes a champion of the oil interests in this early western of his for Republic. One Judith Allen who's the banker's daughter and runs the local radio station which is mostly sponsored by the oil company which has a local drilling operation.

Said operation is what Gene's against. He takes the reasonable position that the oil when it comes up will poison the watering holes where the cattle drink. Then however when he finds out that the railroad is going to build a spur line for the oil company, then it will also be used by the ranches to ship their steaks on a hoof to the stockyards, that's different. I guess the cattle and the people can drink a little poison then. Sounds like a confirmed hyrdrofracker of today.

The villain here is Weldon Heyburn who's working his own agenda. He's an agent of the oil company, but he's wanting more than a salary and he gets it.

I saw a much abbreviated version, no doubt butchered for early television. Still I doubt the director's cut would be any better. And seeing our cowboy hero sell out to big oil today would not make this film popular in the circles I hang out in.

If Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette's musical talents weren't enough throw in The Cabin Kids and Maple City Four with on sceen lyrics for audience participation. Judith Allen kept the tension just right in the love hate relationship with Autry and Weldon Heyburn played it well as the colluding oil foreman with a plethora of dirty tricks up his sleeve. Great music, action and a lot of fun in this early Gene Autry classic

Judith Allen is trying to bring in a well, but the money has run out. Gene Autry had been siding with the ranchers against oil, but when he realizes that a working oil field will mean the railroad and easier shpping for cattle, he persuades the ranchers to put up money. But Weldon Heyburn doesn't want the well to come in until after her lease has expired and his has begun. Meanwhile, Smiley Burnette goes butterfly hunting.

The story makes sense, but it's more of a musical than a western, with Autry leading a sing-along with the lyrics printed onto the screen as he raises the money to keep the well going. Other musical acts include the Cabin Kids and the Maple City Four, a washboard band.

Republic had been basing Autry's movies solely on his radio success, but here we see him getting a decent if unremarkable story; Joseph Kane's efficient direction and Tony Martinelli's editing keep things rumbling along.

This is a fun-filled romp for Gene and Smiley, and there's plenty of action to go along with the shenanigans. Gene & his leading lady, Judith Allen (Doris Maxwell), are a good match with a seemingly love-hate relationship that naturally ends in love. In the meantime, Gene and Judith keep the audience guessing as to what next crazy trick one will play on the other. Smiley is along to provide the juvenile comedy. This outing he also provides some fine music, showing off his versatility by playing both the piano and the accordion (his favored musical instrument). Smiley "Frog" Burnette was also adept at inventing musical contraptions. This time around it's the Maple City Boys who play on some of these concoctions. Smiley provides one of the songs, "Honey Bringing Honey To You," a clever play on words, written by Frog. Though mostly traditional music from the time period (using authentic western music was mainly the reserve of Tex Ritter in those days), the soundtrack is a winner. "Git Along Little Dogies," the title of the movie (Gene often used song names - usually his latest hit - for his film titles) is a true song of the cattle drive and has several variations. The one Gene, Frog, and the Mape City Boys sing during the opening credits is the standard version.

The story has Gene at first promoting the cattlemen's water rights over the oil company's rights to drill, which is polluting the streams where the cows drink. Influenced by his attraction to Judith, who has a radio station above a Chinese restaurant (yes, that's right) that is sponsored by the oil company, and by a new revelation, Gene begins to have second thoughts.

The Chinese restaurant is run by Sing Low (Willie Fong)who steals part of the show from Frog, especially when Sing Low sings high his version of "Git Along Little Dogie," with a Chinese "Woopie Tie Ya Yo." Gene even sings "China, My Chinatown," at least a sliver of it.

Added attractions are The Cabin Kids, sort of a precursor do-wop harmony group, and a song and dance from Gladys and Will Ahern. The "Stock Selling Song (We're the Boys From the Circle A)" by the Maple City Boys may be a bit much, but does foreshadow later musical innovations such as the opening number in "The Music Man." This oater has romance, fun, music, and action. Who could ask for anything more?