Ride, Ranger, Ride

This Gene Autry film has two distinctions. First, it's one of the few westerns I've seen with TWO sidekicks--Max Terhune and Smiley Burnett. I've never seen this before and doubt I ever will again, as it's completely against the usual formula. Second, the film has the distinction for begin the most anti-American Indian film I've ever seen--and I've seen a lot.

The film begins with Gene and Max leaving the Texas Rangers and joining up to help the Cavalry. However, it soon becomes clear that the Colonel is a complete potato-head--with the brains to match. He loves the Indians and refuses to accept the idea that any of them could be in any way bad. Gene and Max (particularly Max) think the only good Indian is a dead one--and they are sure to say this again and again. In their estimation, Indians are an evil that needs purging--and they sound like they are about to go on some ethnic cleansing. So guess who is proved right in the end?! Aside from having a hate-filled and historically inaccurate script in regard to Indians, the film repeats the myth of the attack on the wagon train and circling the wagons--things that, despite being in films, didn't happen in the old west. An accurate view of the tribes would have been that SOME are pretty hostile and some are not--much like what you would say about any group of people. I don't say all this because I am Mr. Political Correctness but as a retired history teacher, I just like to see the facts straight. Overall, a stupid and terribly written film that is sure to ruffle a few feathers!

While Gene Autry, like Roy Rogers, is known for his Singing Cowboy westerns, not every such title carries the same elements in the same proportions. In some instances the song is notably deemphasized, bringing stunts and action to the fore, or maybe the narrative. That this one picture gives us two songs within the first five minutes says a lot, including not least about how direct and briskly paced the feature is. That goes as well for the fact that, before those first five minutes have ended, we're also informed in no uncertain terms that this tarries with horribly outdated racist notions about Native Americans - a fact only ever accentuated more thereafter, and even employed for comedic effect. Egads - it's not the best start for 'Ride, ranger, ride,' is it?

Solid writing in other regards should help to compensate for the unsavory flavors here. Indeed, there are some swell scene and story ideas on hand, and a little bit of cleverness. It's too bad that this is better about communicating its racism than it is about communicating its plot. Advancement of the narrative is meager next to poor attempts at humor (whether racist, or just otherwise falling flat), overbearing scenes of zip and zest and yelling, and tunes that in this case especially feel like empty filler, or an attempt to distract from wanting execution. Even scenes of action suffer as sped up footage is overused to try to foster artificial excitement. Moreover, while director Joseph Kane and the cast have demonstrated fine capability elsewhere, somehow in this instance the acting plainly struggles to feel authentic - from one to the next, it's either dull or overcooked, but never really on point.

All the ingredients are here for what should be another fun little western flick. Somewhere between the screenplay and the realization of it, however, all its best potential goes to waste, which would be bad enough without its worst aspects being brought front and center. Of all the features Autry made over his career, no few are pretty well made and enjoyable; I struggle to say the same of this one, as what light value it does have to offer is weighed against severe detractions. To be frank, there are far better movies you could be watching, and you don't need to spend time with this one. 'Ride, ranger, ride' - ride away, and never return.

A good Western film is built around the Good Guy- Bad Guy conflict and their eventual Showdown. Here, that showdown is there, but it's not the major focus of the film.

It's mainly about how we must fight against Indians. Gene and his Texas Rangers know about Indians; the cavalry does not. ("Make your peace sign with one hand, and keep a gun in the other.") We get that awful 'Tarzan talk' in the way the White Man speaks to the Indians. We get the cliché (it was used in John Ford's 'The Iron Horse' in 1924!) of a white man masquerading as a warlike Indian -- except this time he's a saloon owner.

There is the throwaway of a love interest (surprisingly, Gene marries her and rides off into the off screen). There is Republic's 'comic relief' of Smiley Burnette and Mex Terhune (he is actually good in this film!); and the dreadful running gag of Chief Thundercloud, who was so evil in the serial 'Custer's Last Stand' (1934), trying to scalp Frog Millhouse; but there's really nothing of substance going on in this picture. It seems too have been made from the "let's crank out another one" mode as part of the new Republic formula of cheapie B pictures.

There are much better Gene Autry films that seem more authentic, such as 'Yodelin' Kid From Pine Ridge' (1937) than this third rate formulaic cranked out film. Gene is genial, but overall this movie is worth only a 3.

The most interesting part of this sub-par Autry oater is poor Kay Hughes. I don't know what wardrobe put her in, but the frou-frou is eating her alive. Only her head is still visible. Meanwhile, all the white lace, bustles, and brocade have consumed the rest of her. Too bad, because she could easily pass for Elizabeth Taylor's younger sister, if Liz had one.

Too bad too, that the script's a mess, that is, if you can keep up with it. Something about Texas Rangers, the US Cavalry, and American Indians, all learning to get along. Well, at least the former two. Already, it seems, Texas hates the Feds since they quarrel over who gets to fight the Indians. That's because from the movie, it seems "the only good Indian is a dead one". After all, this is back when red men were mainly circling targets for cavalry target practice. Then too, if I'm not mistaken, the script manages to slight just about everybody at some point.

Meanwhile, the tunes are forgettable, the barroom brawl badly staged, and absolutely no hard riding, while the comedy consists mainly of a scalping wannabe. I will say the stock footage is nicely blended into the film as a whole, which at least lends visual continuity. I don't know what Republic had in mind with this 60-minutes, but as a fellow reviewer remarks, they should have sent the script back for a rewrite. And, for gosh sakes, put poor Hughes in a dress instead of a pile of woman-eating frills and frou-frou. All in all, Autry fans should skip this one.

A "4" on the matinée scale.

Although made in 1936, this film has the stodgy, choppy, primitive look of a B western of 1930 or 1931. I'm not particularly an Autry fan, but I've seen far better examples of his work than this. The script is forced, the "humor" involving an Indian repeatedly trying to scalp Frog (Smiley Burnette) to collect on a bet is not only unfunny but insulting and degrading, even for the 1930s. The songs are uninspired and leaden, Autry's delivery of both dialogue and lyrics are even more wooden than usual, and the tinny, uneven sound quality is reminiscent of the worst of PRC. Republic's westerns are usually much more technically proficient and accomplished, and director Joseph Kane has done far, far better work both before and after this film came out, so I'm not quite sure what the problem was with this picture, but it had more than its share of them. On the other hand, there's a somewhat exciting horse race, and Kay Hughes, as the girl fought over by rivals Autry and George J. Lewis, is ravishingly beautiful, much more so than many of Autry's other Republic leading ladies, and that goes a long way toward making up for the film's deficiencies, both technically and otherwise. But it's not quite enough to cover the fact that this picture is definitely one of Autry's weakest efforts. Skip it; you won't be missing much.