El héroe de Tontonia

I saw this movie recently on Turner and i enjoyed it very much. Frank Morgan was a talented actor and here he is at his best. The actress who played the little girl was truly great, a gifted talent.

There are some funny scenes like the one where Morgan tries to mount a horse by himself. After many tries he rides off barely hanging on. I think i smiled the most at this silly part. Still, the film is more of a character driven comedy that is mostly sweet and sentimental rather than hilarious. It reminded me somewhat of an episode of the Andy Griffith show. Another funny bit that has the sheriff and a prisoner sort of breaking out of jail together was very much like Barney and Otis doing their thing. This one is short and doesn't take time for adding a romantic interest for Morgan's character but that really wasn't necessary.

This film was pretty well written but the cast make the movie. Guy Kibbee also does a fine job as a drunken but good intentioned lawyer. Overall a delightful old movie and for me, an enjoyable time spent watching. 1939 was certainly a great year for Hollywood!!

When you have as leads scene stealers like Frank Morgan and Guy Kibbee in the leads of a film it makes viewing something like Henry Goes Arizona a must.

Frank Morgan is in the title role. Morgan is an unemployed old actor who gets word that his brother died and left him his Arizona ranch and a niece he never knew about, Virginia Weidler. But upon getting there the place is in hock with liens for back taxes and run by the crooked foreman Douglas Fowley for his own nefarious purposes and those of his real boss crooked lawyer Porter Hall.

Guy Kibbee is the avuncular town judge, sympathetic to Morgan and Weidler and helps when he can. Add to that Slim Summerville as the sheriff with some interesting ideas concerning penology and you have a dream film for character actors.

I always like it when occasionally the big studios like MGM do not cast their leads and allow their character players to strut their stuff in their own. Morgan, Kibbee, Summerville, and Porter Hall. That is one great quadrifecta.

Henry Conroy (Frank Morgan) is a New York performer who is afraid of everything especially guns. He inherits an Arizona ranch from his half-brother. Molly Cullison (Virginia Weidler) is his newly discovered 'niece'. It turns out that the brother was murdered for the ranch. Innocent Danny Regan is on trial for the murder and he is supported by Judge Van Treece (Guy Kibbee).

Frank Morgan is great. Weidler is adorably spunky. She does become more the star of this movie. She has a great turn. I'm less convinced with his moves. I really wish that she comes to his rescue for the climatic peak. This is a fun comedic western.

ANY opportunity to see Frank Morgan (The WIZARD !) is going to be an adventure. This came out the same year as Wizard of Oz, but which one do we remember ?? anyway... Henry inherits a property out west, and the local farm-hands are up to some no-good shenanigans. Character actor Guy Kibbee is the Judge, who helps figure out what's going on. At about 17:25 minutes, they dub out whatever Henry says after throwing the knife. The silence is deafening. Weird dubbing. Henry walks around trying to run the ranch while they are plotting around him. Virginia Weidler is in here as Molly. She was the extra precious little daughter in "The Women". She croaked quite young at 41... heart issues. The actor playing "Danny" (Owen Davis) also died age 41... drowning. Film has only 150 votes as of today.. Turner Classics must not show this one very often. Directed by Ed Marin..... who ALSO died young at 52. Marin had directed a bunch of the "Maisie" films, as well as a slew of westerns. It's pretty good. Plot is kind of jumpy, but any film with Morgan and Kibbee can't be all bad. Check it out if you can catch it!

Terrific B-western/comedy starring Frank Morgan (THE WIZARD OF OZ) as a cowardly vaudeville performer who inherits a ranch in Tonto City, Arizona. HENRY GOES ARIZONA offers up plenty of the old B-western formulas and clichés, but with a comedic twist. This, along with excellent performances by Morgan, Virginia Weidler (the kid from THE PHILADELPHIA STORY) and veteran character actor Guy Kibbee, raise this one far above the ordinary run of mediocre B-oaters.

8/10

(Addendum, 10/21/05: I'm glad to see that more people are seeing this great little movie. It deserves the exposure.)