Springtime in the Rockies

Better than average programmer. Good action, classic plot and personable leading lady (Polly Rowles). College girl Rowles inherits spread in ranching country with three college friends. Naturally everybody's looking to take advantage of these greenhorns, even Gene when he finds out they want to graze root-eating sheep instead of less destructive beeves. Complications fly thick and fast and maybe you can follow the twists better than I could. But it doesn't really matter because the appeal of these cowboy quickies lies elsewhere than in the logic of the plots. Some good scenery, hard riding, and the great Tom London and George Chesbro in featured parts. Highlights include scaring the girls until one decides to shoot, singing the meanness out of Chesbro (a nifty little scene), and the classic title tune. It may not be High Noon, but for me, it's a darn entertaining 60 minutes.

I did a review of a Roy Rogers/Dale Evans film Utah and I said at the time that it wasn't one of their best. Before seeing Springtime In The Rockies I saw that Utah was a remake of this film. In terms of the story it isn't any better than Utah was.

Mainly because Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette decide to pull a dumb prank on Polly Rowles who's come west with some friends and thinks that a beat up piece of scrub land that Gene owns is her ranch. She actually owns a pretty nice spread that Gene is foreman of. But in her ignorance of the code of the west, Polly's bought some sheep and intends to raise them in cattle country.

Gene and Smiley get hoisted on their own petards as a very shrewd Al Bridge decides he can trick Rowles as well into selling the only piece of land she can legally sell. It was as dumb here as it was with Roy and Dale in Utah.

What makes this film better than Utah was the presence of the title song and another Autry standard You're The Only Star In My Blue Heaven that Gene sings in the film. Both sold quite a few 78 RPMs back in the day.

Gene's hardly a cowboy hero in this one, just an overage juvenile prankster who should have known better.

Pleasing oater with music has Rowles as a young woman who inherits the ranch Autry takes care of, then on impulse decides to ranch sheep there. All the other ranchers complain, and Autry manages to trick her into thinking she owns a much smaller ranch to contain the damage. Trouble comes when one whiley rancher uncovers the plan and tries to exploit it to get her to sell the land.

Minimal plot, but good action and a very nice setting well photographed. Autry sings some songs.

It all begins when Gene and Smiley pull some tricks in trying to save their boss lady, the beautiful and talented Polly Rowles from sheep herding in cattle country. Seasoned performer George Chesebro superbly plays the overzealous cowpoke enforcing the law of the land. One of the great villains and infantry man Al Bridge does great in playing the unscrupulous business man as does Edward Hearn in trying to frame Gene. Frog has probably his best song (and funniest) singing 'And How'. Ula Love flawlessly adds the comic relief in breaking down the resistance of the hired hands, "Well, pards, I reckon you hombres are figgerin' on a rip-snortin' bang-up shindig tonight".Joseph Kane does another admirable directing job and Champion has some well-earned scene stealing moments.

Gene Autry plays himself as foreman of a cattle ranch in this engaging modern B western faced with a problem as the new owner of the ranch, Sandra Knight (Polly Rowles), a recent college graduate in animal husbandry who decides to move from the East to her inherited property, brings with her a flock of sheep that she has been gulled into purchasing by an unscrupulous local rancher. Sandra also brings three of her lady college classmates with her to vacation during the summer on her new spread and their attempts to adjust to Western life provides comic effects thanks to a well-written script and the very competent direction of Joe Kane, who always works well with his cast, in this instance abetted by the presence of three veteran cowboy villains: Al Bridge, Edward Hearn and George Chesebro. There is plenty of good riding and roping, notably by Autry upon his splendid jumper, Champion, and the action is fast-paced with an interesting plot, comedic interludes and the customary musical numbers by Gene, who takes a properly strong stance against destructive sheep grazing in this delightful low budget effort, marked by the normal rushed ending when production money is depleted.