Sierra Sue

Better than average Autry programmer. Producers are an often overlooked item in the production crew. However, whoever produced this 60 minutes for Republic (not listed by IMDb) deserves real commendation. There are more thoughtful and expensive touches than usual. The location scenes are excellent with a minimum of process shots. The stampede sequence is central to the action and surprisingly is a real stampede with an actual herd on location. No stock shots, although there are a few shots of Gene against a back projection screen. Also, the aerial shots appear real, without the usual shortcuts. Great location photography of mountains, sky, and clouds-- after all, what else do cowboy movies celebrate but the great American outdoors.

The plot's an interesting mix of old and new. The appeal of the New Deal's federal government is in evidence here. Autry represents the capacity of the feds with their research labs to help the stubbornly independent ranching industry deal with a menace (killer weeds) beyond their usual skills. None of this is meant to take away from the easy-going humor and charm of this Saturday afternoon special that kept me enthralled as a boy and still does as a gray-beard adult.

Autry and "Frog" are experts on weed control and staunch advocates of herbicide use in this fast-paced oater. Brought in to help control an epidemic of "devil weed" that's killing cattle, they must overcome opposition to chemical solutions and figure out which one of them gets the girl (Autry, of course). Along the way there are some pretty amusing scenes, including one where Frog's shot out of a cannon to impress the gal. When one angry ranch hand shoots down the airplane Autry and Co. are spraying with, it's up to Gene to stop the stampede that ensues and save the day for a chemical future.

"Sierra Sue" is a Gene Autry western with a most unusual plot. Apparently, there's an infestation of 'Devil-Weed' and it's deadly to cattle if they eat it. I read up on it and there actually IS something called 'Devil-Weed', though it's more commonly called 'Jimsonweed' and indeed kills cattle. This is indeed an unusual plot but where it goes next isn't exactly logical!

The valley is infested with Devil-Weed and attempts to control it by burning the grass haven't helped. But when a government agent (Gene Autry) suggests spraying the range to eradicate the pest, Mr. Larrabee insists it won't work and wants to keep burning...even though it's ineffective. Now this is a problem with the plot...that Larrabee was so against the spraying but you never really understood why...nor why his opinion at the end changes so much! Also illogical is Larrabee's daughter...and she's a pretty typical inexplicably angry woman that you too often see in B-westerns.

So despite not being especially logical, is there much to enjoy about the film? Well, the scenery around Mammoth Lakes is gorgeous...even prettier than Lone Pine (which is just south of Mammoth Lakes), a very popular site for old westerns. And, the plot is original. But the story still doesn't make a ton of sense and Frog (Smiley Burnett) is a bit annoying in this one as well. Clearly not one of Autry's better films.

By the way, perhaps this plot involving airplanes was created because Autry was himself a pilot and serves in the Army Air Corps during WWII as a flight instructor.