Songs and Saddles

In the 1930s, Gene Austin was a reasonably popular radio cowboy known for his crooning. However, his attempt to become a film star resulted in only a few films and few today would even recognize his name.

On the film's behalf, I must be honest and say that the version I downloaded from archive.org was clipped. In other words, during the early days of TV, stations would often cut portions of the films to make them fit a one hour time slot (along with commercials). This one is slightly clipped and perhaps it might have been marginally better in its original form...marginally.

The plot involves the usual--baddies who want to cheat westerners out of their land. The nasty banker and his henchmen trying to cheat honest land owners must have resonated well because of the Depression. However, the total effort is listless and not particularly good. And, perhaps my score of 3 is a bit overly generous at that!

Robert Cline and Harry Forbes are both credited on the film and, for a rarity in film credits of the time, the term "cinematography by" is actually used. The word and the term was probably used on less than 10% (if even that many) of the films made in the 30's.

This one-shot entry of a proposed series to star radio, cabaret, stage, recording and night club performer Gene Austin (most known for "My Blue Heaven, which he does not sing in this film)ended up being shown mostly in small-town theatres and included personal appearances between showings by Austin and his usual troupe of "Assisting Artists," Coco (Otto Heimel) & Candy (Russ Hall.) Austin most definitely does not play "Himself" in this film even if his character name is Gene Austin and he is a famous radio singer, because the story is fictional, the characters are fictional and the real Mrs. Gene Austin (mother of actress Charlotte Austin)would have probably objected to her husband marrying the fictional character at the end of the film.

Standard oater with a plot line of a local schemer and his henchies trying to beat an old rancher out of his unknown-to-him valuable property, which sets where a new highway is going to be built. Well, maybe not so standard, since it was usually a railroad that was planned. The producers (Max and Arthur Alexander) and Associate Producer (their cousin Alfred Stern)didn't make this on a budget that allowed for rental of ties, tracks and locomotives, so opted for highway construction and having to only rent a Caterpillar tractor for the construction scene.

The fictional Gene Austin (played by the real Gene Austin) is the fictional foster son of a fictional rancher and comes to the fictional Sage City to lend a hand against the baddies.

Austin (aided by Coco & Candy, whose character names aren't Coco and Candy in the film)plays the piano and sings five songs he wrote---"Song of the Saddle"; "I'm Coming Home"; "I Fell Down and Broke My Heart (in Two)"; "Why Can't I Be Your Sweetheart, Tonight" and "The Man From Texas"---and they are passable, for fans of Austin's singing style. The trouble comes when Austin takes to the saddle. That isn't a pretty sight.