The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

If you think this is simply the precursor to You've Got Mail, you've got another thing coming!

Intro.

In keeping with my theme of holiday films, I decided to watch The Shop Around the Corner the other day.  My original plan was to watch part of it while I had dinner, then do some chores and then finish it later.  Well, needless to say, those chores never got done because I fell so much in love with the film.  I had vaguely remembered seeing it some time back, but found myself surprised and also deeply moved upon watching it this time around.

Overview 

The opening screen of the movie reads: "This is the story of Matuschek and Company - of Mr. Matuschek and the people who work for him.  It is just around the corner from Andrassy Street - on Balta Street in Budapest, Hungary."  Indeed it is about Mr. Matuschek (Frank Morgan) and his employees in his leather goods shop in the few weeks leading up to Christmas.  His lead salesman is Alfred Kralik (Jimmy Stewart), whom he treats like a son.  There's also the arrogant Mr. Vadas (Joseph Schildkraut), the kindly father and fellow clerk Mr. Pirovitch (Felix Bressart) and delivery boy Pepi (William Tracy).  A woman named Klara Novak (Margaret Sullavan) comes into the shop and despite not being able to support another clerk, Matuschek hires her because she is able to sell a musical cigarette box that Kralik is convinced won't sell.  Klara and Kralik do not hit it off and their rocky relationship continues until Kralik is fired.  During that time, they both reveal (not to each other) that each has been corresponding with an anonymous pen-pal.  In truth, Kralik has fallen in love with this woman who writes to him as "Dear Friend" and Klara thinks her "Dear Friend" is a gentleman far better than Mr. Kralik.  You probably guessed it - they are each other's dear friends.  Kralik realizes it before Klara and tries to patch up their rough work relationship.  That isn't easy because, as I said, he was fired.  Mr. Matuschek believes one of his employees is having an affair with this wife, and only Kralik had ever been to Mr. Matuschek's home.  When the PI confirms that he has proof, a devastated Mr. Matuschek fires Kralik.  When the evidence proves it is in fact a different employee, Mr. Matuschek breaks down and tries to commit suicide, interrupted only by Pepi's late return to the otherwise empty shop.  Kralik gets his job back, even a promotion to store manager, and the only thing left to do is reveal to Klara who her pen pal truly is.

Highlights
So much has already been said about the wonderful chemistry between Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan, but I have to add a brief comment.  They are absolutely brilliant screen partners and make a great couple whether they are arguing about suitcases or talking about love.  Not only are their characters well rounded, but also well acted.  I love the scene in the cafe when the pen-pals are supposed to meet for the first time, but Kralik realizes that Klara is his date and he can't bring himself to face her.  Instead he takes off his carnation and meets her as if he too is waiting to meet someone and tries to get her opinion on her mysterious pen pal.  It's great! 

I think what really struck me about this film was Matuschek.  That intro. card was right - it really is about him and the people in his shop.  Frank Morgan gives a great performance and his depression then recovery really hits at the heart of this film.  It isn't just about pen pals lovers who unknowingly work (and bicker) together.  It's also about love lost and the toll infidelity takes.  Matuschek's realization that his employees were more family to him and his shop was his home is both sad and  beautiful.  That theme is often repeated in holiday films too; that Christmas in particular is really about the gift of those we love, including "families" of people who aren't actually related.           


I was so excited to see this film appear in the New York Times Critics' Picks section.  There's a wonderful film clip there with reviewer A. O. Scott talking about The Shop Around the Corner.  He mentions that the film takes place in Budapest although none of the actors look Hungarian (and speak English with distinct American accents *I'm looking at you, Jimmy Stewart*).  Scott says that it could be that director Ernst Lubitsch, who was originally from Germany, could have been trying to recapture some of the nostalgia and comfort of the "old country."  I thought about when this film came out and how with all the immigration to America at the turn of the century and into the 1920s, the audience in 1940 probably were from Eastern Europe or were children of immigrants from that area.  It could have been a piece of their family history or they could imagine their parents shopping at a similar store once upon a time.  I'm more than a few generations away, but I also loved that nostalgic, old-world charm, particularly as some of my family came from Czechoslovakia and had similar sounding surnames (at least similar sounding to me anyway).  I'm not sure if WWII played a role in it either, though it's an interesting idea - why didn't they simply change the store to New York or even Bedford Falls? 

The Shop Around the Corner does wax nostalgic and has its share of charm.  I know I've said this before, but I am not a fan of remakes.  Usually the classic films are the ones that really get things right; films today are usually more concerned with what can make the most money in a weekend as opposed to having a great story.  Although I do enjoy some remakes, I think it's always good to go back and see the original, and The Shop Around the Corner is no exception.  It's been remade as In the Good Ole Summertime, Shop, and You've Got Mail.  It has other followers too.  All those Christmas-themed love stories, all those romantic comedies about people hating each other then finding out it's really love after all - they all owe their story lines to The Shop Around the Corner.  It's true that the formula of bickering, misunderstandings and eventual true love isn't new. You could go back at least as far as Pride and Prejudice (and probably even further) and find the same story.  But The Shop Around the Corner was one of the first films to really get it right and make an almost perfect film.

Review and Recommendation
If you haven't yet watched The Shop Around the Corner, add it to your list.  Curl up with some of the people you love and enjoy this great film.  Perfect for the holidays, but just as enjoyable any day of the year, I have a feeling you'll fall in love with Klara and Kralik and all the folks at Matuschek and Company!

Rebecca (1940)

Intro.

Aside from the posting rules on my blog, I don't really have a system for picking films.  Usually I just get into phases where I watch a lot of films by the same actor, actress, director or something.  But I can't always choose, especially since my sources of films are 1) my own collection, 2) my friends' collections, 3) whatever's on cable, and 4) the library.  Luckily I've been getting to know some fellow classic film fans and sometimes swap DVDs.  My friend Jen just lent me Rebecca, insisting that I had to see it.  I've always loved Hitchcock, so I settled down a few nights back and watched.

Overview 

Rebecca opens in Monte Carlo, where a pretty young woman (Joan Fontaine) meets rich, handsome widower Mr. Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier) through her employer, the wealthy but annoying Mrs. Edyth Van Hopper (Florence Bates).  When Edyth takes ill, her young companion spends her time with Maxim, and the two begin a sweet romance.  It's a bit of a May-December love, but it's more than enough to make them both happy.  They marry and he returns with his new bride, the second Mrs. de Winter, to his grand estate, Manderley.  There is a shadow over the entire place, as the former Mrs. de Winter, Rebecca, drowned just off shore.  The second Mrs. de Winter can feel Rebecca's presence everywhere - her initials are on everything, the staff all seems to compare her to Rebecca.  Even Maxim has moods where he is cold and aloof.  Worst is the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson), who hates Mrs. de Winter as strongly as she loved (and still loves) Rebecca.  It seems that nothing Mrs. de Winter can do can make anyone like her and soon she grows even more shy and withdrawn, even considering suicide at one point (with coaxing from Mrs. Danvers that is).  One night a shipwreck off shore drags up Rebecca's sunken boat - the one she had died on and was never found.  Her body is onboard, which means that the body buried in the family plot had been misidentified.  An inquest begins and much bigger problems test the love of Maxim and his new wife.  Rebecca seems to have won for a time, but the story holds a few more unexpected twists and shocks than anyone expects.

Highlights 

The characters in this film are unforgettable.  The simple fact that our heroine, the shy, sweet girl who marries Maxim, has no name.  She is so overshadowed by Rebecca, she can't even claim a name other than "the second Mrs. de Winter."  That's a very powerful statement.  Nevertheless, she is the heart of this film - the audience can connect with her.  There's an entry on IMDb that says Olivier had wanted his girlfriend Vivian Leigh in the role, so he had been awful to Joan Fontaine.  Hitchcock used this to his advantage and told Joan that everyone on set felt that way - they all hated her.  He wanted to get her into the same frame of mind as her character and it must have worked - she is amazing!  Her leading man, despite how he may have acted off screen, is ever so charming and gentle with her as his bride, yet we can see the change come over him once they reach Manderley.  It's fine acting, subtle but moving.  And finally there's the amazingly evil Mrs. Danvers - what a villainous woman!  She reminded me a lot of Madame Sebastian from Hitchcock's film Notorious.  So stark, so chilling, I sure wouldn't want her mad at me!     

Okay, I know I geek out over every Hitchcock film's cinematography, but it's with good reason!  Rebecca is no exception - everything about it is beautifully orchestrated.  I loved especially how Manderley was filmed as Mrs. de Winter moved about it.  At times the shadows of light through the windows make it look like a church or a prison.  At one point we see her sleeping and the bars from the window are framed like a jail over her face.  She's trapped by this dead woman.  There are times when she is framed against massive structures like a giant iron-scrollwork window or the towering fireplace where she looks as small as she feels.  It's so well done, I can't really say enough.  Good framing and camerawork can tell more of a story than the actors, so when you combine those with such great talent as Olivier and Fontaine, you know it'll be a wonderful film.

Review and Recommendation
I loved this film.  It's smart, funny, and completely breathtaking.  It'll have you on the edge of your seat.  I highly recommend it to everyone, not just because of the suspenseful story or great acting, but for an example of film making at its finest.

P.S. I should note that this film was based on the book by Daphne du Maurier and comes highly recommended by my friend Catherine.  She also confirmed that the wife was unnamed in the book as well.  Thanks, Catherine!!

Boom Town (1940)

Intro.

I had no intention of watching Boom Town when it aired on television a few nights ago.  However, I had just turned off Doctor Zhivago and was casually channel surfing when I saw it about fifteen minutes into the film.  I almost changed the channel when I realized that this was the original plot line for the film North to Alaska (1960).  My jaw dropped, I laughed out loud and sat riveted as I watched the rest of the movie (which after the first half hour stopped being like North to Alaska).**

Overview

Big John McMasters (Clark Gable, handsome as ever) is an oil driller in Texas when he meets and becomes partners with Square John Sand (Spencer Tracy). Together they start their own drilling and hit oil.  Finally able to support a wife, Sand sends for his long-waiting girlfriend from back East, Betsy (Claudette Colbert).  McMasters meanwhile goes into town for some fun and winds up meeting Betsy.  While she figures out who he is, he doesn't know who she is, and a few drinks and crazy stunts later, they are married.  The next morning they have to tell Sand, who comes to tell McMasters that they've hit a bigger well and that they are millionaires.  Fortunes go from good to bad though when the men later have a falling out and decide to flip for the entire multi-million dollar operation.  McMasters loses, and packs up with Betsy and hits the road.  Each man has his fortunes rise and fall and we watch them handle it differently.  Meanwhile Betsy is strong, adventurous and most of all, happy when McMasters isn't a millionaire because that's when he needs her.  Finally McMasters gets back on top of the oil industry and winds up in a huge office in New York.  He and Sand meet up several times, but never do they bury the hatchet.  When they meet for the last time, Sand sees that Betsy is unhappy in New York, mainly because McMasters is spending so much time with his pretty employee Karen (Hedy Lamarr).  Sand decides to take action - first by proposing to Karen to get her away from McMasters, and then by joining a rival oil company and trying to put McMasters out of business.  What follows is a great turn of events including a trial, a big night of drunken fighting and of course a happy ending.

Highlights

There wasn't a single person in this film that was anything less than entertaining and talented.  It was great to see two actors of equal reputation against each other - it kept me (and I'm sure also audiences of 1940) from really choosing sides because one actor was more well known than the other.  And Gable and Tracy make a great team.  All in all, this film isn't about oil or business or the fortunes and failures of life, it's about friendship, and these two men act their parts beautifully.

At the heart of the film (both plot-wise and character-wise) is Claudette Colbert.  I always love watching her because she is so sure of herself.  Take this film for instance: imagine marrying a guy you've only known for a day - and you still haven't told him who you are!  Betsy is happiest when she is needed, but won't complain when she's put aside either because she worries about her son (although she does consider leaving McMasters before she's pregnant).  Her character is not only charming and warm, but gracious, forgiving and strong.  It takes quite a woman to cause such a long fight between two best friends, and it takes an even better woman to end it.  Not many actresses could pull the role off convincingly, but Claudette does.

Review
What I really loved about Boom Town was how the film played with the audience.  Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, another twist of plot threw the whole thing off course and we had to start over.  It was engaging, fun, humorous and a bit sad but with good pacing.  The writing was good, the acting superb and the whole picture was just plain enjoyable.  And Frank Morgan, just one year after playing the title role in the Wizard of Oz, is just as upbeat and fun to watch here.  I would definitely recommend watching Boom Town anytime you want a great old-fashioned comedy/drama/buddy movie (and unlike North to Alaska, the theme song won't get stuck in your head for days and days!).        


 **North to Alaska, I should mention, is a Western parody starring John Wayne in Clark Gable's role.  He and Stewart Granger (in Spencer Tracy's role) have a gold mine in Alaska instead of an oil rig in Texas, and when John Wayne goes to Seattle to get Stewart Granger's girlfriend, he finds that she's married.  In desperation, he hires a call girl to come as a "replacement" girlfriend, only to wind up falling for her himself.  It is a parody, so you get to see the Duke making fun of himself, which is hilarious.  It also has a great (although way too addictive) theme song.  So if you watch it, don't blame me if you find yourself humming it in the elevator at work a few days later.

Carolina Moon (1940)

Intro.

Some days, you just need a good movie to cheer you up.  That's how I was feeling today, so I decided to watch a movie from my Netflix instant play list.  Turns out they've posted quite a few Gene Autry films, so I'm pretty much in fangirl heaven.  I chose Carolina Moon mainly because it was from 1940 (one of Gene's best years) and co-starred June Storey and Mary Lee.  While the singing was superb, the storyline and the over-done Southern cliches were not.

Overview

The film begins with Caroline Stanhope (June Storey) and her grandfather (Eddy Waller) on their way North to a rodeo, where they hope to ride their prize thoroughbred and win enough money to pay the back taxes on their plantation.  At the rodeo they meet Gene and Frog, who tell them that a thoroughbred can't compete with cow-ponies.  Of course, our guys are right and when the grandfather loses a large bet, he is forced to sell Gene his horse in order to pay.  Unfortunately, Caroline has other ideas and gets the family (and the horse) back to Carolina and leave Gene and Frog holding the bag.  Well, the boys head South (despite Frog claiming there's no such place as Carolina).  Once there, it's clear that the Stanhopes aren't the only ones in danger of losing their plantation.  Gene and Frog naturally decide to help (mostly Gene, because he's obviously falling for Caroline).  The main problem is a guy named Henry Wheeler (Hardie Albright) who wants all the owners to sell him their plantations so that he in turn can sell them for a profit to a lumber company.  Gene and Frog figure it out after a fox-hunt, a Steeplechase, and a challenge to a duel.  Anyway, just when you think it's worked out (the plantation owners sell their timber rights and are able to keep their land), the bad guys add one more twist.  I won't give it away, but let's just say that lumberjacks vs. cowboys makes for one great fight!

Highlights

I couldn't help but laugh during this film, both at the intentionally funny parts and the not-so-intentional parts.  There were good points, but also a few very bad ones.  On the one hand, Gene is great.  He's funny and handsome and at the top of his game.  His singing is just as great as his other films, and there is plenty of it.  Worthy of note are the title song, as well as "Dancing Dreams That Won't Come True", "Say Si Si" and a great one by Mary Lee: "Me and My Echo."  There are some great action scenes too - I already mentioned the fight between cowboys and lumberjacks (good money on the cowboys, of course!) and the race sequence where Gene rides in a Steeplechase.  And he's right, he does look silly in that jockey cap!   Gene and Frog manage to have some great comedy bits too, especially at the rodeo where Frog's trying to pick up a girl.  Finally, to wrap up the highlights was Gene's final showdown with Wheeler.  I didn't think Gene could really intimidate people, but somehow he pulls it off here: "I've heard that word honor ever since I've been here.  We have it out West too.  Only we handle them a little different.  We just start shootin'." 

The hard parts to watch revolved around the Southern cliches.  Although the highlight there was how Mary Lee stopped the fox hunt!  Still, the Southern Colonel obsessed with telling stories of the Civil War and the poor portrayal of African-Americans was too over the top.  I think I finally had enough when Frog tried to disguise himself as a "Mamie."  Really, Frog?  I had to remind myself that this film was in 1940 and I'm in 2010, but it's still troubling to watch.   

Review

This was one of the few times where I wasn't sure just how I felt about a movie.  I think overall, Carolina Moon is not one of Gene's best films.  The golden parts are the singing, the few action scenes and the comedic banter between Gene and Frog.  Other than that, it feels dated and unusual.  I missed Gene being out West and look forward to the next film that takes him back to the prairie.

Melody Ranch (1940)

Intro.
It seems as though I've stumbled onto all these great 1940 musical Westerns in the past few weeks.  I happened upon this one on Netflix and the reason it stood out was the cast - I have to admit, I had to blink a few times to make sure I was reading it correctly.  A Gene Autry picture with Ann Miller and Jimmy Durante?  THE Jimmy Durante?  The same Jimmy Durante that completely won me over in It Happened in Brooklyn (one of Frank Sinatra's best films)???  In a WESTERN?  Needless to say, I had to see it to believe it.

Overview
The plot to the film is really pretty interesting - Gene plays a cowboy who gave up his spurs for a microphone and has become a big radio star.  His old hometown, Torpedo, has invited him to be an honorary Sheriff for their Frontier Days celebration.  Thinking it's good for publicity, Gene goes with his whole radio show, including big-city diva Julie (Ann Miller) and comical manager Corny (Jimmy Durante), who certainly lives up to his name.  Once there, Gene gets shown up by some bad guys and realizes he's lost his edge - he's no longer a cowboy, but a pampered city dweller.  So he decides to stay in Torpedo, get in shape, and clean up the town.  Which he of course does, all the while still hosting his radio program and winning over Julie.

Highlights (and low points)
The music in this film was above par for Gene's B-Westerns.  He has some beautiful solos in here, most enchanting being "Call of the Canyon".  He and Ann Miller have a gorgeous duet as well, "Never Dream the Same Dream Twice."  It's clear in this picture why so many women went crazy over Gene - his voice is at its peak and he looks terrific too.  When he serenades Ann Miller overlooking Melody Ranch's canyon, you fall for him right along with her.  The music is added to by Mary Lee (who I adore!) and her rich voice, as well as Gene's backup.  I thought those musicians looked familiar - it's none other than Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys!  Talk about a bunch of legends together on one screen!

I'm glad that Ann Miller gets a dance solo in here too, even if it is a bit short.  On the other hand, though, she gets more time to sing, which makes you appreciate her talent in a different way.  Also to note, the bad guys do a funny parody of Gene's famous theme song with (Go) "Back to the City Again."  And bonus, Ann's manager/boyfriend Tommy is played by Jerome Cowman.  You probably know him better as Miles Archer...as in Spade & Archer of The Maltese Falcon.

Finally, Jimmy Durante.  He plays the screwy sidekick like Frog Millhouse or Pat Buttram.  It's hard seeing him in such a corny role and I have to admit some of his scenes will make you groan.  But you have to remember it's all in good fun and really, Jimmy is terrific anywhere and anytime.  It's funny, I was just thinking how this film is a good example of the type of film I call the "crooner-comedian" type.  Think Martin and Lewis or Crosby and Hope or Sinatra and Durante.  There's always the straight man with the smooth singing, and then the comedic sidekick who can get obnoxious, but only in fun.  In this case it's Autry and Durante - an unusual pairing, but still very, very entertaining. 

Review and Recommendation
There are some films you have to see simply because of the cast.  It's like Paint Your Wagon - yes, it's a bit cheesy and wrong on so many fronts, but it features Clint Eastwood singing.  This is a must see.  Similarly, seeing Jimmy Durante in a Western is definitely a must see.  It's corny, and if you're a Durante fan, you may be a bit disappointed.  But go with the flow, enjoy it for entertainment's sake and remember that you're watching a bit of grand Hollywood history.

Oh yeah, and if you're a huge Gene Autry fan like me, this film will give you plenty to swoon over :-)  Enjoy!

Ride Tenderfoot Ride (1940)

Intro.
One recurring theme in Gene Autry's pictures is that of a cowboy who must venture into the city for some purpose.  It's an old story, really, something like the city mouse and the country mouse children's story.  Usually the cowboy feels out of place in the city, and when he returns to the range with a city-dweller, the roles are reversed.  As always, the cowboy saves the day as the whole party rides out into the West.  The idea plays on our ever present dream of going West - out where there is land and opportunity, even golden prospects.  It is there that the heroic cowboy, acting as a symbol of all hard-working Americans, can beat any number of "city-slickers."  Such is the theme behind Ride Tenderfoot Ride, one of Gene's most entertaining Westerns.

Overview
The film itself has a pretty standard plot - a man dies and leaves his packing plant to Gene Autry, a man no one seems to be able to find.  As it turns out, Gene is working as a cowhand for the plant's competitor.  At least, was working until a misunderstanding occurs with his boss Ann (played by the always wonderful June Storey).  They part ways, but not for long, as Ann's little sister Patsy runs away only to meet up with Gene, who of course helps her get home.  Ann and her partner, Don Gregory, try to convince Autry that they were friends with the man who left him the plant, and that they were going to consolidate their businesses.  Autry agrees to sell his plant to them, but when he finds out they intend to shut it down and put all the workers out of jobs, he fights it.  He manages to get the contract revoked and then the fun really begins as he and Ann start competing head to head to sign cattlemen.  They are now in Gene's territory, out in the small towns in cattle country.  Gene is really at his best as he tries to out-sell and then out-sing Ann.  It turns out then that Don Gregory is less than honorable, and Gene must save the day.  In between fist fights and Frog Millhouse's shenanigans, Gene still has time for some great songs including the title track as well as the classic "When the Work's All Done This Fall."

Highlights
This film really highlights the city mouse/country mouse tale.  It is clear in a few scenes especially, such as when Gene and Frog are invited to the nice city house of Ann.  There they stick out like sore thumbs among all the citified gentry, right down to their clothes and manner of speech.  Gene is told there and a few other times that he'd be no good behind a desk.  Frog stands out more than Gene, mainly because of his naturally awkward presence.   

I really want to note how great Mary Lee is in this film.  I've really started to admire her, not only as an actress, but also for her voice.  As Ann's little sister she is hilarious, even more so when she runs away and tells the airline that Gene is her new husband (only because newlyweds get 2 rides on 1 ticket).  Later she shines again during a duet with Gene.   

Finally, Gene is not the soft, shy cowhand he can sometimes play.  He's ready to meet Ann's challenge in business.  There's one scene where Ann has taken over Gene's singing street show in order to get business away from him.  A group of older townswomen are talking about how disgraceful it is for women to act like Ann.  I thought for sure Gene would stand up to them and explain, but instead he says "I absolutely agree with you.  It is disgraceful, isn't it?"  That gets him the contract, as the women force their husbands to side with Gene instead of Ann.  June Storey should also get a lot of credit, as she is much tougher and independent than most women in Westerns.  She has to prove that she can make it in a man's world, and she does.  In the end it all works out too, as Don Gregory is finally brought to justice and Gene gets not only the plant, but the girl too.

Recommendation
I loved this movie.  Not only is it a great example of the classic city and country folk swap, it showcases both Gene and Mary Lee's beautiful singing.  The story is well worked too and has a good pace.  And above all, you have to root for Gene - the hard working cowboy who overcomes the crooked city businessmen.  He is  the rugged individual against the corporation and he triumphs.  Now that's a happy ending.        

Gaucho Serenade (1940)

I meant to post this yesterday in honor of "Fridays with the Flying A," but as Fridays are usually busy, the weekly Gene Autry post will now be on or around Friday instead. :-)

Intro.
So often Gene Autry films are overlooked in the history of American film; most academics scoff at the mention of "singing cowboy" pictures.  I've heard a few colorful names for them, like oaters and B-Westerns.  But if it wasn't for Gene Autry and the introduction of music to the films, the Western genre may very well have died off back in the 30s.  Adding a rising radio singing star like Autry made Westerns appeal to more people, specifically women.  More people meant more business and more money.  Soon all kinds of singing cowboy pictures turned up, even with stars like Bing Crosby and John Wayne (needless to say, John Wayne had his singing dubbed!)

But it was the Lavender Cowboy himself, Gene Autry, that really led the charge.  And of all the films he made prior to his enlistment in World War II, I think that Gaucho Serenade (1940) is arguably one of the best.  The premise is similar to many of the "road" pictures common at that time (think It Happened One Night and Without Reservations) - strangers meet on the road West, join together through some outside cause, and at first fight then become friends. 

Overview
This film starts with corrupt businessmen having framed a man for murder.  As he is about to testify in a case against them, they decide to convince his 12 yr old son to come home from England to reunite with his father.  They of course plan to hold him as a bit of blackmail.  Anyway, the boy comes over, but mistakes Gene and Smiley Burnett for the businessmen and falls asleep in the back of their car.  They don't have the heart to tell the boy that there's no such thing as "Rancho San Quentin" like his father wrote him about.  Things get more complicated when the guys unknowingly pick up two women - one of which is a runaway bride (who stole the bridegroom's car no less).  What follows is pure entertainment - from the girls and guys bickering, to dodging the cops and the crooked businessmen, to a runaway trailer and hold up, to a shootout on a moving train and even a jail break!  It all works out, though: father and son reunite, justice is served to the bad guys and Gene gets the girl.

Review
What I like the most about this film is that it comes right at the middle of Gene's film years - he's learned a lot about acting since those 1936 pictures, but still has that vigor and lighthearted spirit that seemed to dim after the war.  Perhaps it was because he wasn't competing with Roy Rogers quite yet.  And his role is unusual - not only is he a bit out of his environment (on the road and in cities instead of on a ranch and in some frontier town), but his attitude is more spunky.  I love the banter between him and the would-be bride Joyce (played by June Storey).  I also love the songs - they fit a little better in the plot, and Gene's duets with Joyce's sister Patsy (played by Mary Lee) are superb.

Recommendation
All in all, if you ever want to see a Gene Autry film, I would recommend starting with this one.  It's light, it's funny, has great songs and a great cast.  What a great way to start off "Fridays with the Flying A!"


Interested in singing cowboy films?  Check out the book Singing in the Saddle by Douglas B. Green and Back in the Saddle Again: Essays on the Western by Edward Buscombe and Roberta E. Pearson.  You can also read more about Gene, Smiley and the rest of the cast at IMdB.