Back in the Saddle

Gene Autry provides a wealth of old-fashioned entertainment in Back in the Saddle, one of the factory-issue B Westerns that played to packed Saturday afternoon movie palaces full of kids who dreamed of life on the open range. Besides crooning the legendary title tune, Autry foils a dastardly mine owner who has been poisoning cattle to drive the local ranchers off their land. An interesting opening section depicts Gene and faithful, hopeless sidekick Smiley Burnette (here in his "Frog" incarnation) retrieving the son of a friend from the decadent big city -- a perfectly set-up showdown between wholesome country and degenerate city played for maximum effect. Back in the Saddle's most prominent set-piece, however, is an exciting shoot-out set in and around a jail with plenty of whizzing bullets and flaming hay-carts to set the heart pounding.