Saginaw Trail

There is a poetic quality inherent in this unusual period piece, as Gene Autry confronts a series of unspeakably sad occurrences with serene stoicism - and Smiley Burnette's lighthearted touch contrasts sharply with the tragic elements in Dorothy Yost and Dwight Cummins' screenplay. Variety called the film "better than many Autry starrers," and indeed it is - for, while it is vastly different from the other entries in the series, "Saginaw Trail" gives Gene the opportunity to exemplify quiet strength, kindness and compassion in a fast-paced 56-minute adventure which is well-enacted and briskly directed by George Archainbaud.

Set in the Michigan woods in 1827, Gene and Smiley are members of Hamilton's Rangers, sent to investigate the brutal murders of settlers pouring into the region. Clues point to the trading post of wily French-speaking fur trader Jules Brissac, splendidly portrayed by character actor Eugene Borden. After Gene holds a pow-wow with chiefs of indigenous tribes in the area, he suspects that an assistant of Brissac's (Myron Healey) is leading the attacks on settlers and throwing blame on the Huron and the Sioux. With subplots, action (including a sword duel between Gene and the wicked fur king), some humor and a couple of fine songs, Gene and Smiley restore peace to the region. In a genuinely moving conclusion, Gene urges a youngster orphaned by an attack on settlers that the day of the fur empire is ending and that one must not try to stop progress, but to be a part of it.

Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette gained a large following in the 1930s via swift-moving, unpretentious films with short running times. It is fitting that they ended their careers in western features in vehicles with those very characteristics, though extremely different in tone and story content. "Saginaw Trail," their penultimate feature, is thoroughly satisfying in its own manner, and is among the best entries Gene produced for Columbia.

Some time in the first half of the 19th Century, the Saginaw Trail connects Detroit with the fur-trading center of Saginaw. Settlers are moving in, and there have been Indian massacres. Ranger(?) Gene Autry shows up to investigate, along with coonskin-capped Smiley Burnette. Autry picks up crack-voiced Ralph Reed, whose parents have been killed by what appear to be Indians, but Autry finds evidence that isn't the case. They continue to the post run by Eugene Borden, who smiles a lot, and whose associate Millard Webb has been dressing up as an Indian, makes a couple of attempts to kill Autry with a tomahawk; being no Ed Ames, they fail. Meanwhile, Reed begins a flirtation with Connie Marshall, whose parents were massacred, and who is now the ward of Webb.

Autry sings a couple of old songs, long out of copyright. Burnette sings one of his own composition and gets into a humorous competition with trapper Mickey Simpson. It's an adequate B western in the rapidly fading genre, but it relies more on Autry's good will than Autry relies on the material, and he doesn't look so slim in profile shots any more. Everyone does what they can, and there is a bit of a message about progress present, but in his penultimate film, Autry isn't the happy, inspiring fellow he has been.

While Gene Autry is known for making westerns, "Saginaw Trail" really isn't a western...and the poster shown on IMDB isn't indicative of the way Autry looks in the film. This is because the film is set in the Midwest in the early 19th century...which was the wild west back in the day but nowhere near where other westerns are set. In some ways, this is a nice change of pace for Autry. Unfortunately, sometimes the film doesn't get the period look right...such as Autry singing "Beautiful Dreamer"...a song not published until 1862! There also are a few weapons which were made AFTER the 1820s.

Michigan circa 1827 is a place with a few settlers, a lot of fur trappers and even more American Indians (though many all dressed like Plains Indians in the film). However, SOMEONE is trying to drive settlers away by staging fake Indian raids....and Gene is sent by the Rangers to investigate. The trail leads to a scumbag named Brissac....but Gene needs proof before he can let the law take its course.

So is this any good? Well, it's pretty much a typical sort of Autry story despite the time period and location...complete with covered wagons, baddies trying to control all the land and fist fights...lots and lots of fist fights! There also is singing but the songs are very weak compared to many of Autry's earlier films. Overall, a decent outing with a different locale...but also the same old sort of storyline despite this.

Gene leaves the dusty range and heads to the Great White North to clean up the Saginaw Valley from crooked Frenchie fur trader Jules Brissac (Eugene Borden) and henchman Miller Webb (Myron Healey). Along the way he befriends orphaned adolescents Randy Lane (Ralph Reed) and Flora Tourney (Connie Marshall). Aided by Delaware Indian renegades, Healy and Borden attempt to stop settlers from moving into the valley.

Typical of a lot of the later Gene Autry Westerns this one finds Gene singing less and fighting more. Not to worry though, Gene does manage to get in several tunes along the way. "Comic antics" furnished via Smiley Burnette and (lucky us) Smiley also gets a chance to crank out a tune of his own. No real leading lady, as the obligatory romantic undercurrent is supplied by the two adolescent heroes played by Marshall and Reed.

This was Gene's second to last starring movie. His television series was in its third year of production and western movie counterparts Roy Rogers and William Boyd (as Hopalong Cassidy) had already ridden into the Slver Screen sunset and onto the small screen . Only a handful of the old B-Westerns that once dominated the Saturday Afternoon Matinees were left to be produced. It was perhaps an instructive glimpse into Gene's real life, when at the end of the movie, Gene advises the young hero (wannabe trapper Reed) "Don't try to stop progress, go with it, be a part of it".

Just so-so Gene Autry.