Idaho

"Idaho" has all of the characteristics that one expects in a Roy Rogers feature, and it works pretty well as light entertainment. Roy takes on some rather inept villains, while trying to win the girl, and there is a little singing, some comic relief (this time from Smiley Burnette), and some very short scenic shots meant to suggest the hills of Idaho.

The story concerns a respected judge who is trying to clean up a saloon run by the notorious Belle Bonner. Belle has discovered some secrets about the judge's past, and she has her brutish accomplices try to frame the judge for some of their own crimes. Deputy Roy trusts the judge, but his boss does not, setting up a fast-paced if mostly predictable story.

This is very much a normal Roy Rogers film, decent light entertainment without any surprises.

The song "Idaho" reportedly was written for this movie. The composer was the late Jesse Stone, who later wrote "Shake, Rattle and Roll." Stone also wrote using the name Charles Calhoun. According to Stone's obituary (AP, 1999), "'Idaho' was a big hit for Guy Lombardo, selling three million copies in the mid-1940's. Benny Goodman and Jimmy Dorsey also had hit recordings of the tune." It was also recorded by Gene Autry, June Christy and Bud Powell, among others -- and most recently by Denver saxophonist Keith Oxman.

Judge John Grey (Harry Shannon) keeps his past as an ex-con a secrete until Dick Purcell and Arthur Hohl spoil the party. Belle Bonner (One Munson) now has some leverage on the judge who wants to shut her gambling hall down. Roy Rogers and Ole Frog (Smiley Burnette) are caught in the crossfire. Rogers is also caught between State Ranger Bob Stevens (Onslow Stevens) and the woman they both love, the judge's daughter Virginia Grey. The great singing is not only provided by Rogers but also by Bob Nolan, Sons of the Pioneers and The Robert Mitchell Boy Choir. Although he didn't get much face time, old time cowboy and stuntman Hal Taliaferro is Bonner's henchman. Top western director Joseph Kane delivers another good one for Republic.

The oater's got some good imaginative touches, like Roy's car-chasing showdown or the big gun-toting posse hidden behind a ridge. No western cliches here.

It's a complex plot set in contemporary times, as Roy tries to win reward money to save a needy boys' ranch. Trouble is bad girl Bonnie also wants the money for her ritzy beer joint, while bad guy Duke robs a bank, leading people to think reformed good guy Judge Grey has done it. Too bad Sheriff Bob is Roy's rival over sweetie Terry's affections though she keeps rejecting both. So Roy's got his work cut out for him, in more ways than one. Plus, you may need a scorecard to keep up.

Anyway, there's lots of good outdoor visuals, along with plenty of hard riding, but few fast guns, and no flying fists. And catch that opening scene with actress Ona Munson as baddie Bonnie. It fairly oozes an evil of cowboy noir, if there were such a thing. Then too, comical sidekick Burnette gets as much solo screentime as hero Roy, which he uses humorously and in a skillful way. Nonetheless, the youthfully handsome Roy shows who's in charge, despite the lesser screentime.

All in all, it's an imaginative oater with fewer genre cliches than usual, so catch it if you can. And, oh yeah, speaking of leading lady Grey as sweetie Terry, I'd sure like to ride off into the sunset with her. Okay, I can dream can't I.

The problem with watching Roy Rogers films is that most of them were chopped to pieces in the 1950s so they could be shoved into TV time slots. And, in many cases there are both the shortened and the full-length versions floating around out there to watch. In my case, I saw the expurgated 52 minute version. While I have no idea if the longer one is better, the shortened one played well and didn't seem like the story had been hacked to pieces.

This film stars Roy and Smiley Burnett as his sidekick--no Gabby or Dale in this one. The story is about Judge Gray--a tough man who enforces the law but has a secret--he was once in prison himself! When some bandits learn who he is as well as some gamblers, they try to blackmail him into helping them. But Gray is a swell fellow now--and calls their bluff. Not surprisingly, the set out to ruin him and it's up to Roy and Smiley to help him out of this predicament and restore law and order and niceness to the west.

Because this was the shortened version, the film's pacing is not hindered by as many songs as you might find in the average Roy Rogers flick. Plus, Smiley's songs are usually rather enjoyable and the action and plot are above average. Enjoyable fluff.