Guerre au ranch

A couple years before he died, Lou Gehrig (yes, THAT Lou Gehrig) co-starred in an amiable little western called "Rawhide". The title refers to the name of Gehrig's ranch---to which he's retiring. However, when he arrives he finds there is a 'protective association' that controls all the local ranches. What this actually turns out to be is a protection racket run by some mobsters. In other words, if you don't join, 'accidents' happen to your spread and you can't buy needed materials. However, Lou is tough and he and his new buddy (the crooner Smith Ballew) decide to fight instead of knuckling under to their bullying tactics. Much of the rest of the film is a battle of wills and fists between these men.

The film had some very nice singing. Ballew had a very good voice and the lyrics were catchy. As for Gehrig, I am pretty sure his singing was dubbed. I also was surprised by his speaking voice, as it was 100% New York--and sounded nothing like Gary Cooper in "Pride of the Yankees". Because of this, it further accentuated the 'fish out of water' aspect of the film with this city boy taking up an odd new life as a rancher! It's all a bit surreal but also pleasant and worth seeing just for its curiosity factor.

Amusing western starring baseball legend Lou Gehrig. The Iron Horse plays himself in this as he heads Out West to live on his (fictional) sister's ranch. There he joins forces with singing cowboy lawyer Smith Ballew to battle perennial heavy Cy Kendall and Arthur Loft, who have a nice little protection racket going. Fun stuff, although not always for the right reasons. Simple coloring book-level of intellect and craftsmanship went into this, but I can't say it isn't entertaining in its way. It's a low budget oater with a baseball player as the star. No one should expect Stagecoach.

Not really perfect, but ...

Robert Redford starred in a movie called "The Natural." I read the book; it was stupid; I didn't see the movie. The book was about a baseball player. Well, Lou Gehrig WAS a baseball player, but he was really a natural as an actor.

Some other commenter called Gehrig as stiff as his bat. Wrong! Gehrig was so relaxed, so -- that word again -- natural in this cowboy movie, it is more than a shame, more than a tragedy that this was his last year of an active life, that soon after making "Rawhide," Lou Gehrig developed the disease that now bears his name.

He appeared in front of a camera as if he'd been doing it for years.

The nominal star was that incredibly talented Smith Ballew, possessor of one of the most beautiful voices to appear on screen, especially in Westerns. He was a very tall and good-looking man, with real grace as a cowboy, and genuine singing talent. In fact, he made hundreds of records in several genres.

But even Smith Ballew was at least slightly over-shadowed by the great, the legendary Lou Gehrig, one of the most honored baseball players of all time.

In "Rawhide," he showed he could have anticipated other baseballers such as Chuck Connors and had a whole career in motion pictures. He is thoroughly likable, very personable and charming, and seems as if he's been performing for years. What a shame he wasn't allowed to keep doing so.

"Rawhide" is about Lou's retiring to the ranch his "sister" has bought for the two of them. It would have perhaps worked even better if another name had been applied to the character, but it still works well for "Lou Gehrig" and his sister.

That sister is beautifully played by the beautiful Evalyn Knapp. She gives such a charming performance here, I am both angered and saddened she didn't become the huge star she obviously was capable of being.

"Rawhide" works partly because its three stars are so believable and likable, and partly because there are superbly talented co-stars and atmosphere players, and many of them.

B Westerns are so much better when there are many smaller parts and especially when they are so excellently performed by such a superlative cast as this movie has.

"Rawhide" is a special treat because it's Lou Gehrig's only fictional movie talking appearance. He could have been a major star if his life had not taken such a tragic turn.

He even looks like John Wayne in some of the stills, with his 10-gallon hat and craggy good looks -- and not like Gary Cooper who played him in the biopic.

"Rawhide" is available at YouTube in a not-great print, but it's good enough for you to appreciate the clever and well-written story that is very ably directed and that even has some really nice, non-intrusive, music. I highly recommend "Rawhide."

I noticed in the credits of Rawhide before the film started it listed that Lou Gehrig was appearing in the film due to the arrangement of Christy Walsh. Walsh was Gehrig's business manager, he got Gehrig as a client through his team mate Babe Ruth whose business affairs Walsh also managed. I guess this western was another money making project for Gehrig to do off season. In fact the film begins with Lou in New York's Grand Central Station telling reporters he's off to live with his sister who has a ranch in Montana and if likes it he's through with baseball.

Not exactly being a trained thespian, Lou played the only role he could have played, Lou Gehrig. When he arrives in Montana, Lou discovers his sister is being squeezed by the Cattleman's Association which in that neck of the woods is nothing more than a protection racket. In fact he's got the best line in the film when he tells the bad guys that hearing their operation and how it works he has a feeling he's back in New York right now.

Lou and sister Evalyn Knapp get a lawyer to fight them. But not just any lawyer, a singing cowboy lawyer in the person of Smith Ballew. Between the three of them, the villains are of course routed.

In real life Lou Gehrig was an only child and in real life he did go to spring training with the Yankees in 1939. But it was his last one because that disease that bears his name was starting to take its toll. In fact during the second half of the 1938 season and the World Series against the Cubs, Lou's statistics fell off dramatically.

As a western star, Lou Gehrig would not have given John Wayne any concern about a rivalry. But I would point out that in the film the Jackie Robinson Story where Jackie played himself, he was plainly ill at ease in front of the camera. And that was a project dreamed up by Branch Rickey who was running the Dodgers at the time.

Rawhide is a curiosity and certainly would have been long forgotten, but for the presence of a sports legend.

RAWHIDE (1938)

** (out of four)

After finishing the baseball season, the real Lou Gehrig travels to Montana to visit his sister where he learns an evil banker is stealing all of their land. This really isn't a good movie but it's quite fun seeing the baseball legend act. I wouldn't say he gave a good performance but it's worth watching either way. I'm not sure if Gehrig was acting or just playing himself but he's always got a smile on his face, which is quite charming considering the pain he must have been feeling at the time. There really isn't too much footage out there of Gehrig so this film, warts and all, is pretty important.