The Big Show

Gene Autry is the stunt double for a conceited western star and has to impersonate him after the actor bails out of a big personal appearance at the Texas Centennial, not knowing that the reason star went on vacation was to avoid paying his gambling debts. Gene gets in way over his head when he turns out to be a bigger hit than expected and gangsters show up to collect their money.

A pleasant, fictionalized account of how Gene Autry became a star, The Big Show offers an irresistible glimpse at the duties that befall a Saturday matinée western star. Despite a loose plot, it's really a lot of fast-paced, tongue-in-cheek fun.

Autry sings some great songs and along with sidekick Smiley Burnette, joins three legendary western groups, The Sons Of The Pioneers (with Roy Rodgers), The Light Crust Doughboys (a personal favorite), and The Beverly Hill Billies. Max Terhune and his dummy even show up for a quickie appearance. Sadly, The Doughboys and the singing group The Jones Boys are deleted from most, if not all video prints.

Although not really much of a western, Autry fans should be satisfied.

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.

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.

A lot of fun as long as you're not expecting a traditional formula Western. There're more imaginative set-ups in this Republic oater than in most A-pictures. Catch the Light Crust Boys as they roll down the road, or the talking horse a couple decades before Mr. Ed, or a mustachioed Gene acting mean and nasty. No, there's no real plot, but the pace is brisk from one lively set-up to the next. And whose great idea was it to film at the new Texas state fair, a backdrop like no other. Those live panoramas are a taste of big screen pageantry before the big screen. All in all, it's a great little peek at popular history and Art Deco. Then too, catch the clever little spoof of movie-making and tyrannical studio heads. I love the movie love scene that immediately becomes a hate scene once the cameras stop rolling. I guess my one complaint is with the movie as a driver's manual-- Driving down the wrong side of a two-lane highway is not, I repeat Not, a good way to deliver lunch. Anyway, the diverse story elements are neatly combined into a highly entertaining 71 minutes, programmer or no programmer. Thanks Western Channel and Autry Enterprises for the full restoration.