Don't Fence Me In

GoodTimes has a set of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans DVDs out there under the name of Happy Trails Theatre. Although Don't Fence Me In was shortened a bit for this DVD, I'd still like to recommend the Happy Trails DVDs to you. I was fortunate to pick up several brand new ones at a local flea market. Each one has some of the same information but each also has new information about Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and their crowd. If you are a Roy Rogers and Dale Evans fan like me you will totally enjoy all the extra footage showing Roy and Dale going to parades and visiting children in hospitals, the story of Roy proposing marriage to Dale, and more inside info also about the family. Each movie starts out with Roy and Dale seated on a small stage back around 1987 talking about the movie they are showing. They also have guest surviving guest stars visit, like Iron Eyes Cody and others. Sometimes there is Dusty Rogers (Roy Rogers Jr.) who does a great Gabby Hayes imitation. The song playing about Roy and Dale is sung by Dusty and I had no idea he had such a good voice. Then there is a Sidekicks Feature about Gabby Hays and other who worked with Roy and Dale and also a Museum Tour. I don't mind that the movie may be shorted a bit (don't know why though with DVD technology) since I am getting all the extra info and footage. As far as Don't Fence Me In, I think it was one of their best. It starts out with Dale pretending to be a showgirl dancer (really a reporter) on a table at a political meeting, with other girls going around the table kissing the men. Mild to what is shown today, but pretty racy for those days. Wonder how they got by the censors? But it gave Dale a chance to show off her singing and acting talents and she was excellent as a hard boiled newspaperwoman who starts to soften over time when she meets Roy (probably not too far from real life as a cautious Hollywood actress who gets a proposal from the famous Roy Rogers). She heads to the West to cover a story and meets the Sons of the Pioneers and Gabby Hayes. Gabby was great (as usual) and played his character to the T. The bad guy in this was Moroni Olsen who played Mr. Tewitt in another favorite movie of mine - The Long, Long Trailer. He also played Robert E. Lee in Santa Fe Trail plus plenty of other movies. He had a menacing way about him and fit the part well. Another bad guy was played by Marc Lawrence who always played the gangland type. Ray Teal had a small part as a State investigator and Western fans will remember him as Sheriff Roy Coffee on Bonanza. And of course our favorites Bob Livingston, Bob Nolan and others. Wonderful acting, singing and great fun! Don't miss this one!

In looking over Helen Talbot's list of film appearances on the IMB, I noticed that she supposedly appearance in Don't Fence Me In, as a dancer. There is an opening dance number in the beginning of the film where Dale masquerades as a dancer trying to get an "uncover" story on a politician who professes to be a "Law and Order" man with family values, but is really a dirty old man who likes pinching show girls. Dale is dressed up in a cute little outfit that shows off her legs. She was really a good looking gal and it is ironic that she would even play a part considering her late years as a "Christian" role model mother. But that's another issue. Helen, although she was an actual glamor model and had been a Goldwyn Girl briefly before coming to Republic, does not appear on camera. I have run that sequence through my video machine at slow speed and cannot find any evidence that she was indeed in that film. The same thing in SONG OF NEVADA, another Rogers musical, where she was supposedly cast as an airline stewardess. I stand ready for correction, gentlemen.

This is clearly one of the most entertaining "B" westerns I've ever seen. Unfortunately, the edition I viewed on DVD, Part of the "Happy Trails Theater" series from "Good Times Video" is apparently a version that was sold to television in the 50s and cut to fill one hour of airtime. Note that I said cut, not edited. Chunks of story line are missing. Continuity is non-existent. Plot problems are suddenly resolved without explanation. Even the final production number ("Don't Fence Me In") is cut-off before the song is completed. If the listed runtime is correct (71 mins), this edition is missing 17 minutes of footage.

With so many recent restorations of "B" westerns back to their original short lengths, I think that the "Roy Rogers" estate or "Republic Pictures" should make an effort to restore this film for DVD. It was probably Roy's best work.

Big city photographer Dale Evans (as Toni Ames) is sent west to investigate whether or not notorious outlaw "Wildcat Kelly" is really buried in the grave bearing his name. In "Twin Wells", she meets salty sidekick George "Gabby" Hayes polishing his tomb, then singing cowboy pal Roy Rogers (as Roy Rogers). There is much pleasant singing by Mr. Rogers and The Sons of the Pioneers, with an emphasis on the swaying title song. In an early appearance with her future husband, Ms. Evans looks uncommonly sexy, showing every allowable inch of her legs. The film is softly plotted, breezy, and tuneful.

***** Don't Fence Me In (10/20/45) John English ~ Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Robert Livingston

Move over Betty Grable and Joan Blondell because Dale Evans really gets to show her musical and acting chops in this oater. It's a Dale you don't ordinarily see once she settled into Roy's loyal sidekick. Here she shows the kind of spark that would have gotten her a succession of '30's B-musicals ten years earlier. I sure don't blame Roy for grabbing her for a life-time. But please, Roy, don't lock her again in the jouncing boot of a stagecoach with only Limburger cheese to grab onto. It's not a good way to court a girl.

All in all, the 70-minutes amounts to a really good matinée entry. The plot's more convoluted than usual, with Dale as a reporter investigating who's really buried in Wildcat Kelly's grave where Roy owns a dude ranch. Notably, her role requires an aggressive side we don't ordinarily see. Then too, the plot offers up several twists unlike the usual oater. And mustn't overlook the great Gabby Hayes in a more complex role than usual, but showing his usual ornery brand of entertaining humor. Then too, catch those two refugees from urban gangster flicks—Marc Lawrence and Douglas Fowley. Good thing they didn't have to 'mount up'.

There may be less action or good scenery than usual, but the pluses more than compensate. Anyhow, add the Sons of the Pioneers and an outstanding array of western tunes to the mix, and how can even non-front row kids lose.

An "8" on the Matinée Scale.