South of Caliente

I recently watched the Roy Rogers film South of Caliente (1951) on Tubi. The storyline follows a woman trying to sell some of her horses to save the ranch her father left her. Roy Rogers and his trusty steed, Trigger, agree to help her on the journey to Caliente to make the sale. Along the way, they encounter a gypsy who warns them against continuing, but they press on regardless. As they head to Caliente, they face numerous challenges. Will Rogers and Trigger be able to help the young woman, or was the gypsy's warning justified?

Directed by William Witney (The Crimson Ghost), the film stars Roy Rogers (The Gay Ranchero), Trigger (Don't Fence Me In), Dale Evans (Apache Rose), Leonard Penn (Mysterious Island), and Willie Best (High Sierra).

This film was more entertaining than I expected. The settings, props, and costumes were well done, and I loved the addition of a gypsy to a western, giving the film a unique and mysterious feel. The comedy was clever, keeping the tone light, and the song-and-dance numbers were better than I anticipated. There's a fantastic scene where Trigger races the police, and the final shootout was thrilling. Overall, the film is a lot of fun.

In conclusion, South of Caliente is an underrated gem in the western genre and definitely worth a watch. I'd give it a 6.5-7/10 and highly recommend it to western fans.