While westerns endure in one form or another, and some are surely among the best movies ever made, not every variety thereof stands as tall now as they might have in years past. Roy Rogers is certainly best known for his antics as a singing cowboy, a genre that's decidedly gauche and carries old-fashioned sensibilities that today are most associated with early sitcoms of 1950s television. This doesn't mean that they can't be earnestly worthy and enjoyable, but even at their best they tend to be very direct in their storytelling, which itself is an odd flavor characteristic of their contemporary pictures. Suffice to say that such movies may not appeal to all viewers - though it should be noted that in this case, 'Saga of Death Valley' rather deemphasizes songs compared to some of Roy Rogers' other pictures, and also adopts a slightly darker tone. Still brusque in its plot development (including the jarringly sudden ending), ham-handed at times (there are, yes, fragments of song), and otherwise claiming some of the same indelicacies or inelegance, there's no confusing that it's cut from the same cloth. But for what is done particularly well here: for those who have especial difficulty with such fare, this could be a relatively fair point of entry, and it's definitely gratifyingly strong at large.
The plot bears familiar strains of small town corruption, with bad guys taking advantage of the innocence, virtue, and peace of ordinary folks. That's perfectly fine, though, for it's a compelling story even if it smacks of something we've seen before. Furthermore, this rendition can boast a couple small details that help it to stand apart a little bit, with the result that the film is even more engaging, and even genuinely thrilling. More, perhaps, than some comparable titles, there are a lot of action sequences here, and Joseph Kane's practiced direction realizes them all with terrific finesse, stunts included. Even where action is sidelined, any lighter (and cheesier) moments are counterbalanced by harsh drama that's decidedly a bit more dreary than what we've gotten from some of this picture's brethren. It's a credit to screenwriters Karen DeWolf and Stuart Anthony that 'Saga of Death Valley' kind of bucks the trend of Rogers' other features and focuses so squarely on a more robust notion of storytelling. Why, I might go so far as to say that while the presentation here is emphatically curt, the substance of the narrative is just as meaningfully absorbing as what we might hope for from any western of the years to follow.
The chief weakness, I think, is in the editing. Sound (including music on the soundtrack) cuts abruptly and roughly at no few points, or even prematurely before the sequencing of the imagery catches up. Lester Orlebeck's editing in the latter capacity is less glaringly faulty but still far from perfect, primarily in that it's simply overzealous. Not least during action scenes, we sometimes get such a rapid-fire burst of movement from shot to shot that the value of each is dampened; it's the same deficiency that plagues even modern action flicks, substituting the empty flash of the cutting room floor for the major impact that a melee strike, stunt, or effect could have if we actually, fully saw it. Seeing as how this clocks in at under an hour, the picture would have lost nothing whatsoever if even just a scattered few shots were allowed to linger longer, letting us truly soak them in. On the other hand, much more so than not this is quite well made. Jack A. Marta's cinematography is active and dynamic, a credit to his skill, and all the crew behind the scenes put in good work. The production design, art direction, costume design, hair and makeup work, and props are all just as splendid as we expect from the genre, helping us get into the spirit of the Wild West. It may be kitschy at times, with a couple weak spots in the writing, and the editing is troubled. Yet far and away 'Saga of Death Valley' is a much better and more satisfying film than I'd have possibly assumed sights unseen.
Anyone who has difficulties abiding older films, westerns, or this picture's kin may not have their minds changed strictly speaking, though it's possible that this title is just different enough that it could serve as a gateway. For wider audiences, however, I believe this 1939 feature is so well done, engrossing and even exciting, that it does, indeed, stand tall and remain quite worth watching even more than 80 years later. Don't feel like you need to go out of your way for it, but if you have the opportunity to watch, I'm as surprised as anyone at just how solid 'Saga of Death Valley' is, and I'm pleased to say it earns my hearty recommendation!
