Loaded Pistols

Loaded Pistols one of the early films Gene Autry made for Columbia Pictures finds Gene in one of his few films without a sidekick. I guess he left Smiley Burnette over at Republic with Herbert J. Yates.

Autry has his hands full in this one. Someone got Russell Arms to put up his pistol during a crap game and when the lights went conveniently out one of the other participants in the game was dead. Quite frankly anyone during the darkness could have picked up that gun and fired it, but Jack Holt and Robert Shayne have their own reasons for wanting to see Arms get the blame and they whip up public sentiment against him.

Although no one would have blamed him from walking away from the situation Gene sticks his neck out for Arms. Not that Arms is looking for help in fact he and his sister Barbara Britton are more of a hindrance than a help to Autry. But Barbara Britton who was one of the most beautiful actresses ever to appear on the screen is more than enough reason for Gene to stick it out.

Chill Wills is also in this film as a foxy sheriff who doesn't quite believe the neat frame that Holt and Shayne have put Arms in, but he's not about to buck public opinion.

Loaded Pistols is a bit too long by about 15 minutes. Still it's a competently made B film that Gene Autry fans were pleased with in 1948 and today.