The Strawberry Roan

Anyone who has had a loved one with a spinal injury can really relate to this outstanding movie. Gene Autry does it all in this one. He is a foreman, horse trainer, therapist to a paralyzed Dickie Jones and performs some of his best songs. It's not hard to see why Jack Holt was Al Capp's favorite actor. He shows great passion in trying to avenge his sons injuries and tries to kill the wild stallion responsible. But he has to battle his foreman in the process. Champion well earned his second-billing status in this one. John McGuire added just the right suspense and Pat Buttram showed signs of the perfect sidekick making his film debut here.

I doubt that any western, big budget or small, has photographed the superbly scenic locations of Sedona, Ariizona more beautifully than this overlooked Autry western. (Even the few outdoor sets are well done.) Columbia popped for more than usual amount of financing and definitely got their money's worth. This is an easy-going horse story, of the type so popular in the late forties, with just enough action and suspense to entertain both kids and adults. Gene has to protect Champ from a vengeful father, after Champ has disabled his son. Dick Jones does a spirited job as the likable son, showing why Autry kept up their association over the years. There are no typical bad guys or gunplay, but lots of scenic chases across the majestic spires and red-rock formations. I like the way the plot grows out of believable characters instead of the usual stereotypes. Also, the comedy relief is low-key and works nicely into the story line. Except for the lilting title tune, however, the usual musical numbers remain pretty forgettable. Too bad in our age of special-effects spectaculars that this kind of innocent Saturday afternoon fare has ridden off into the sunset. There is still a lot to be said for those gentler values.

I am a longtime collector of Gene Autry memorabilia, especially his films. The "Strawberry Roan" has always been my favorite Autry film. I can remember seeing this movie in 1948 as an eight year old boy. I'm sure that seeing this movie in Cinecolor added to my enjoyment of the film. As a boy I was not really into the music but the "horse story" intrigued me and kept my attention.

I searched for over thirty years as a film collector for a 16mm print of this title in color. This past summer my search ended as I purchased a print that was listed on Ebay. So far as I know, this is the only color print in existence.

As a Gene Autry western I rate this film at 4 stars because of the story, scenery, and music. Gene sings some beautiful songs in this one.

I'll start by saying that this is the perfect western. Its absolutely perfect in how all the parts seamlessly fit together and those parts and the assembly fit with the world.

Westerns aren't unique to film; long before movies, pulp stories were weaving the abstractions that movies inherited. But its a specific type of mythology that movies perfected. From the midthirties until the Leone era, these were the slate on which Americans drew their character.

They're roughly in two types. One is the the narrative spun by John Ford and — for better or worse — appropriated by Republicans (as I write this). Simple men, drinkin', fightin', cussin' misogynists who "win" their women. These are men nestled into the land, free in spirit, loners. Quick to violence and often motivated by revenge-as-justice.

The unhappy fact is that John Ford was Jerry Bruckheimer before it became uncool.

There's a different western: cowboys with a higher sense of justice. Rather than being motivated by revenge, he'll drive a story often based on redemption. He's likely to sing. He always gets the girl, but somehow we feel that it is because the woman is seeking a husband rather than rough sex.

Gene Autry isn't the first player I think of in this context. (His first movie, a serial actually — "Phantom Empire" — is on my list of "must see.") But this movie is so well quilted, so naturally centered in all the things that westerns can be. It has place. It has clarity without simplicity. It has courage without punching. It has sex — yes it does and its not deeply hidden. But it runs away from the prurient.

I wonder. I wonder if something as American as this is possible to be exploited for political advantage. I suppose not, because if it could, it would have.

I was asked recently what I would put on a list that asked for the best western. It would have to be before Leone. And it couldn't be "Yellow Ribbon." It might even be this, The comedy is just perfect, not worn out. fresh.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

Longer (78 minutes) than the usual Autry western, 1948's "The Strawberry Roan" tells a story about Gene's horse Champion (World's Wonder Horse) who appeared in his films from 1935 until 1953. Actually there were three film horses called Champion, all were sorrel-colored with three or four white stockings. The original died while Gene was in the service so the one in "The Strawberry Roan" is probably Champion Jr. (born in 1942) who appeared with Gene until 1950.

In this color film Champion looks more chestnut than strawberry, and the roan part is hard to tell (a roan is a horse with white hairs mixed in equally with its main color).

Gene plays a ranch foreman who captures a wild strawberry roan which then throws the son of the ranch owner. The young man Joe (Dickie Jones) breaks his leg and the horse starts to attack him. The enraged father Walt (Jack Holt) goes on a shooting rampage and believes he has killed the rogue horse, but Gene finds the wounded animal and secretly nurses it back to health. Meanwhile Joe has gone into a severe depression over his riding mistake and won't even attempt to walk again.

When Walt finds out about Gene's subterfuge they have a falling out. Walt's daughter Connie (Gloria Henry-a young Mrs. Mitchell from "Dennis the Menace") tries to patch things up between the two men because you just know that the best thing for Joe would be to get back up on the saddle and ride the same horse that threw him.

Gene still finds the time for singing. In addition to the title song there is "Texas Lullaby" and "When the White Roses Bloom in Red River Valley".

This was not just Pat Buttrum's first Autry film but the first film of his career. He looks very young but has already developed several of his comic bits.

Gene was an old looking 40 by this time but they still tried to sort of pair him up with teenage looking starlets like Gloria Henry. The code of the west wouldn't permit him to be attracted to someone his daughter's age, so like on his later television show these girls are made to seem vaguely in love with his character while he seems more attracted to horses.

Dickie Jones' Joe is the most interesting character. If you ever wondered about the term "borderline personality" you may want to closely observe this guy. Such people are characterized as having a tendency to react more intensely to lower levels of stress than others and to take longer to recover; peaking emotionally on less provocation and taking longer coming down. Such is poor Joe. It is interesting that this clinical condition should get its most accurate screen portrayal in a film that is mostly about horses. I think at one point Gene even remarks that horses and people are a lot alike.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.