Goldtown Ghost Riders

"Goldtown Ghost Riders" is one of Gene Autry's last films. By the time he made it, Autry was 46 and looked it. This is not meant as an insult to Autry...he just wasn't the mid-20s hero any more and I could see why he called it quits soon after this film...at least until he did a special glorifying cowboys in the 1980s. It's funny that in "Goldtown Ghost Riders" to make Autry seem less old, all the supporting cast was MUCH older than usual...and many of them older than Autry!

Shortly after the film begins, Autry arrests a man for murder. But there's a problem...the man ALREADY was arrested, convicted AND served time for murdering the same man! Obviously, he never did kill the man long ago...so legally, prosecuting the man for murder again is problematic.

Much of the film consists of a long flashback explaining the things that led up to the original murder conviction. It has something to do with a scheme between the convicted man and his supposed victim to convince everyone that Goldtown is a gold-rich place...even though they realize it isn't. Later, they invent the notion of ghosts to explain some of their own doings!

Somehow these scams led to the killing...or supposed killing which occurred while Gene was the judge. What's next? See the film.

Because of the way the film is constructed, Gene is a bit less of the focus of the story as usual. However, as usual, he sings some times, punches some baddies, hangs out with Smiley Burnett, and makes everything right by the end....pretty much what you'd expect from an Autry movie. But with a bit less action and a complicated plot, it's not among his better films. A decent time passer, though.

This was one of the singin cowboys last films and was better than I expected. I think it compares favorably with several of his 1940's films in terms of writing and presentation. In this one, Gene is called upon to judge a murder case for which the accused might have already been punished for !

Smiley Burnette is back for this film, and is as good as ever. In many ways he was the King of the sidekicks ---- equally gifted at comedy, music and general hi-jinks. Gail Davis does a good job and the action is very entertaining. Overall, a pleasant diversion.

Better than some, but not the best of the series.........