Cow Town

This movie is very disappointing. The four songs are extremely unconforming; character actions are too changeable and illogical; and there's no sidekick. Rancher Gene intends to hinder rustlers by putting barbed-wire fencing around his spread, but not all cattlemen favor this tactic. In addition, many hired-hands think that it'll jeopardize their jobs. Concentrating on an ensuing confrontation instead of profitable herding, COULD result in some failures, which would cause non-payment of taxes, leading to a sheriff's sale of not-too-expensive real estate, which the bad guys would buy for sheep-grazing. Ginger and her younger brother, Duke, are Autry's wavering neighbors. Liveryman Sandy and his bogusly-estranged partner keep things riled up. Look elsewhere, however, if you're seeking an exemplary western.

Cow Town begins with a prologue all about the joys of barbed wire. Whatever. Following this, there is a scene with a lot of townspeople and I noticed that nearly everyone looked old! I can only assume that the producers deliberately used a lot of older actors in order to make the aging Gene Autry look younger, as his best days in Hollywood were a decade ago. Is this one worth seeing or is it yet another tired late career Autry westerns?

The story begins with Gene taking a couple rustlers to the sheriff. On the way, a VERY angry and incredibly stereotypical woman draws a gun on Gene and tries to stop him. I say incredibly stereotypical because in so many of his and Roy Rogers' films women are inexplicably angry and just plain nasty...only to be tamed by the hero...a cliche I could REALLY do without! Soon she's organized a jail break for the two accused rustlers! And, they shoot their way to freedom! Is this woman the ultimate villain or just a real dumb idiot? Tune in to find out for yourself.

This film is a great example of a film where characters behave inconsistently...and foolishly. To me, this is just bad writing...even for a B-western. When you see Duke and his sister, you never have any idea WHAT they are going to say and do...and I assume that the actors felt the same way! It's a huge problem with the story and makes this one of Autry's weakest outings.

While the plot really let me down, one thing I do need to say in praise of the film is the gorgeous use of the scenery in Lone Pine, California. While hundreds of westerns were filmed here, I cannot recall a black & white movie that made the mountains there look so good. Cheers to the cinematographer, William Bradford.

Well-done Autry oater, longer than usual (70-min.). I guess I'd never thought about a homely item like barbed wire and its significance before now. Thanks to the movie, however, I know a lot more, and have a greater appreciation. Plot-wise, Gene has to prove the wire's worth to ranchers despite land grabbers who want to sabotage its effectiveness. There's a great scenic climax with more sweep and manpower than usual, along with a lot of hard riding. Those Sierra vistas in the background are majestic as heck, while the guys thread through the rock spires of the familiar Alabama Hills.

Too bad Gene sings only snatches of some classic western tunes. I could have used more of "Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie". No comedy sidekick here, though Buddy Burroughs (Duke) carries the youth angle. I do, however, wonder whether using the towering Tarzan (Mahoney) as a two-fisted foil for Autry was a good idea. Gene may be a heckuva stunt man, but visually Mahoney's got a big edge. And catch the spunky Gail Davis. Unlike most leading ladies, she looks like she belongs outdoors. Speaking of outdoors, these oaters give a geezer like me a chance to get back out in the Big-Open, if only vicariously. I guess you can take the kid out of the matinée, but you can't take the matinée out of the kid.

Anyhow, an "8" on the matinée scale.