Mexicali Rose

William Royle is selling shares in a fake test oil well he has down Mexico way. Gene Autry gets involved because of pretty Luana Walters, who is helping padre William Farnum run an orphanage on an old Spanish land grant. They think they have oil on the land, but no one is interested in drilling, and they're running out of money. So Autry charms bandito Noah Beery Sr. With his singing and starts a scheme to drill on the orphanage's land.

It's a bit hokey and choppy, but there is the usual assortment of good music, including Smiley Burnette singing a song about not understanding Spanish to the tune of "Cielito Lindo. Some of the songs include the title tune and "Chiapanecas" played as dance music. Director George Sherman does a competent job without much flair.

Gene gets to sing three of his best songs, including one he wrote, in the action-packed "Mexicali Rose." Gene had sung "Mexicali Rose," the title song, in an earlier picture, "Rootin' Tootin' Rhythm," even singing it in Spanish. The song was so popular that he and his producers decided to do a film around the title. This time the title actually fits the story which takes place in Mexico. Gene croons another fitting piece, "El Rancho Grande." He also sings one of the best songs he ever wrote, "You're The Only Star In My Blue Heaven." When he appeared on the Nashville Channel back in the 1980's, he told the TV audience that one of his lady fans had written him a letter expressing her fondness for his movies. She ended the letter by telling Gene, "You're the only star in my blue heaven." That expression stuck in his mind leading to the song he wrote with the same title.

Frog, one of the best musicians around, gets to sing one song. He was sort of like the later rock performer, Clarence "Frogman" Henry, in that he could sing like a girl and he could sing like a frog. Smiley does both in "Mexicali Rose."

The story involves a fake oil company using Gene and Frog as radio entertainers promoting the sell of stock in the enterprise. Gene and Frog devoted their talents thinking the money raised was going to help orphans in a mission run by Padre Dominic (William Farnum) and a pretty senorita, Anita Loredo (Luana Walters), the Mexicali Rose of the title. When Anita convinces Gene that the oil company is a sham to steal money from the orphans, Gene and Frog leave the radio station to investigate the allegations. A third party gets involved when Gene and Frog are confronted by Mexican bandits headed by an hombre named Valdez (Noah Beery), not unlike Pancho Villa, a good outlaw or Robin Hood as Valdez comes to visualize himself. Valdez is after Gene's horse, Champion. Gene and Champion are saved when Valdez discovers that Gene is the singing cowboy he has come to idolize. All join forces against the crooks led by a swindler named Carruthers (William Royle). Gene and his pals concoct a plan to make Carruthers and his gang think that there is really oil on the mission land. The plan almost backfires when real oil is discovered.

"Mexicali Rose" starts with a bang. Gene and Frog are hellbent for leather. Skilled camera work shows Gene and Frog galloping full speed down the trail heading for the radio station to get there on time. The film continues fast-paced to the end.

An added bonus for the viewer is the appearance of Roy Barcroft as McElroy, one of the scam artists. Barcroft was just beginning his long movie career as the super bad guy of the B western. He usually dressed in a suit and held a position of respectability but turned out to be the orneriest snake in the show. He is not the boss heavy in "Mexicali Rose," but does have a few good scenes.

While I enjoy Smiley Burnette as a sidekick, in "Mexicali Rose", he's beyond useless. He screws up again and again and I was half expecting Gene to just shoot him....he was THAT awful. Again and again, he makes a mess of things and can't seem to do anything to actually help Gene until the very end. Sure, he sings...what else would he do? But I did find him a bit annoying here and wish he had been a bit more helpful.

When the film begins, Gene is a successful radio show crooner. But he soon hears that the oil company sponsoring the show might be crooked....and when Gene investigates, it's pretty obvious the folks in charge are swindlers. At the same time, Gene is introduced to a 'nice' Mexican bandit, Pedro Valdez (Noah Beer....Wallace's brother). How does Pedro play into all this and how can Gene get the goods on the crooks?

While I usually hate seeing white actors playing various ethnic groups back in the 1930s-50s when this was so common, in the case of Noah Beery, this actor actually did a nice job playing the Mexican bandito. With his Bluto-like voice and bearing, he was most welcome as Gene's friend and anti-hero.

The film also has some very nice music..among the best in any Autry film. This combined with a good story and Beery make it quite enjoyable...even if Frog is a knucklehead in this one!

By the way, pay attention to Gene Singing around the campfire. Just where DOES that accompanying music come from.....especially that marimba?!?!