Texans Never Cry

Pretty good Autry entry. Action highlights are a wagon chase through scenic Alabama Hills featuring a lot of hard riding, along with two real knock-down-drag-out brawls. The plot's none too persuasive, something about forged Mexican lottery tickets being used to scam people. Gene and Pat are Texas Rangers on forgers' trail. Actually, there's some good suspense as we wonder whether hired killer Russell Hayden will shoot Autry after the two have become accidentally friendly. Front row kids will recognize a more mature Hayden from his earlier days as Hopalong's sidekick 'Lucky'. Here he's older and heavier, but does well in the ambivalent role. And watch for Gene's real life sweetie Gail Davis as rancher's daughter, along with Rita Hayworth look-alike Mary Castle as the suggestively named 'Rita'-- could that be an accident. Two good Autry tunes that importantly don't interrupt the action. All in all, the 67- minutes amounts to a typically entertaining Autry production.

A '7' on the matinée scale.

Texas Ranger Gene Autry and his men arrive just in time to prevent the foreclosure of rancher Dan Carter (Harry Tyler) and his family after Carter finds himself unable to repay his loan to swindler Tracy Wyatt (Tom Keene). Gene and sidekick Pecos (Pat Buttram) soon find themselves in the middle of murder and a lottery counterfeiting scheme run by Wyatt and his henchmen Blackie Knight (Don Harvey) and Rip (Holly Bane).

At a running time of 66 minutes Gene has time to become involved in a romantic triangle with Gail Davis and Mary Castle and Pat gets time to contribute his comedic antics in a surprisingly humorous skunk spraying incident. Ex Hopalong Cassidy Sidekick Russell "Lucky" Hayden also shows up in this one, cast off-type as Wyatt's out-of-town hired gun. While this is one of Gene's more action oriented westerns he does get in two nice, well placed tunes, including an opening sequence rework of Ride Ranger Ride from his earlier film of the same name.

This is one of the movies that was filmed in what I think was the sweet spot of Gene's career. Wedged between his Automobile-Age Musicals and his later budget-restrained Horse Operas, it highlights Gene at his best.

While I didn't love "Texans Never Cry", I was impressed with the fact that the plot was NOT the usual B-western faire. Instead of the usual evil bossman trying to run all the nice people off the range or the like, this one finds a gang of baddies selling counterfeit Mexican lottery tickets! Talk about unusual!!

The story begins with a Mexican federal policeman arriving in Texas. It seems that his government is concerned because there are a lot of counterfeit tickets being produced and the trail leads to Texas. Gene is a Texas Ranger and he agrees to help....but soon after, the Mexican is murdered. Of course Blackie did it....as his name is 'Blackie'...a sure sign he's evil! But it takes most of the rest of the film for Gene and his sidekick (Pat Buttram) to get the goods on him and his boss.

In addition to the interesting plot, the story was filmed in the Alabama Hills, near Lone Pine, California. This was a very, very popular site for films...particularly, but not exclusively, westerns. But here it's much better looking than usual due to some excellent cinematography.

On the negative side, and there are very few here, I'd say that it did seem to take too long to bring Blackie to justice. Additionally, the nice woman and the evil one look VERY similar...so pay attention!

Overall, well worth seeing...one of Autry's best of the 1950s.