Astro por Aclamação

The likable Gene Autry plays a dual role and has some good opportunities to use his variety of talents in this enjoyable B-Western. The story is light but entertaining, and it has some good musical numbers plus some comic relief from Smiley Burnette. The Texas Centennial setting also gives it some additional historical interest.

Autry plays both a bad-tempered movie star cowboy and his talented, good-natured stunt double, so the setup offers some good lighter moments in its look at the movie industry. The story starts with the stunt double filling in for the star at a public appearance, with numerous complications arising from there. Autry gets many opportunities to sing, and there are also some good action sequences.

Most of it works pretty well, because it generally allows Autry to use his strengths. Burnette also gets some good moments, and while the story is mostly used to showcase Autry and the other musical entertainment, it works too as a way of pulling things together.

Gene autry plays... gene autry. And tom ford. He's out on the range, making a movie. But when an actor disappears, shenanigans follow. And now they are tangled up with a gangster. This was partially filmed at the texas centennial fairgrounds in 1936! Songs by the pioneers, the jones boys, the light crust dough boys, and the beverly hill billies. Check out the songs in the "soundtracks" link. Lots of ladies in this western, which wasn't always the case! It's okay. Not great, but a bit dry now. This was probably quite entertaining for its time. Gene autry was a master of all trades. Acting, singing, writing songs, serving in the military; he later owned the california angels! Directed by mack wright, for republic pictures. Story by stu and dorrell mcgowan. Imdb tells us that some of the musical acts only appear in the longer version of the film. Smiley burnett died pretty young at 55.

Mammoth Pictures star Tom Ford decides to go on vacation, but the studio's press agent Wilson needs to get ahold of him so he can make a scheduled appearance at the Texas Centennial in Dallas. The problem is solved when Wilson convinces Ford's stuntman, Gene Autry (Autry also doubles as Ford here), to go to the event impersonating Ford. The ruse works, but things go wrong when Autry decides to go on the radio singing, which Ford can not do. This ticks off Ford, who comes back to the studio to get Autry fired, but some gangsters are at the Centennial hoping to collect some of Ford's gambling debts from Autry. This film is good, but nothing more than a promo film for both the Centennial and Autry & the singing groups at Republic, as well as the studio itself. There are some pretty good action scenes at the beginning with Autry as the stuntman. Autry as Ford, however, doesn't convince anyone since his thespian abilities were never great (especially this early in his career). Fun to watch. Rating, based on B westerns, 7.

For one of eight films that Republic Pictures new singing cowboy star Gene Autry appeared in 1936, the studio did the unheard of thing and filmed part of the story at the Texas State Centennial at their state fairgrounds in Dallas. In fact the centennial was an integral part of the story.

In a film with plot elements similar to MGM's Callaway Went Thataway, Gene Autry plays two roles that of himself who is fearless stunt double who happens to sing to Tom Ford, arrogant movie cowboy who doesn't and also played by Autry.

In fact Ford has himself in some trouble with gamblers and has to lam out to parts unknown after his last pictures wraps. Which leaves the studio holding the bag because they promised an appearance by their star at the Texas Centennial. Studio head Charles Judel is nursing his growing ulcer as a result.

Then studio yes man William Newell gets the idea to get Autry to impersonate Ford and when he sings on the radio and in personal appearances, Mammoth Pictures figures it has a star with greater venues.

If you've seen Callaway Went Thataway you know what happens. The Big Show turned out to be one of Gene's better early westerns.

A lot of acts get in the act in this film and Gene has two special numbers, Nobody's Darlin' But Mine and Ole Faithful. The latter was a cowboyballad written in England and introduced in America by Bing Crosby on his radio show.

Gene gets to romance Kay Hughes and Smiley Burnette and Sally Payne are around for comic relief. One of Gene's better early Republic westerns.

The Big Show is about the most enjoyable to watch of all his movies for several reasons: One, Mr. Autry plays a double role. Two, there is a lot of clever stunt work, including the famous under the coach and handover hand to the horses stunt. Three, The Big Show has a very different plot from the usual Autry Western. Four, The Big Show contains some very listen-able songs. Five, it is really fun to see Roy Rogers when he was still with the Sons of the Pioneers as Leanard Slye. Six, it is also fun to see behind the scenes of movie making, with some back views of the Republic lot. Seven, since this is an earlier Autry entry, Smiley Burnett is Mr. Autry's side kick rather than Pat Butram. Eight, it is exciting to see the Texas Centennial Celebration as a background. All in all, this is one is really fun.