Beyond the Purple Hills

I've seen nearly every Gene Autry film and have noticed that generally the quality of the location shoot and cinematography in his later movies for Columbia really excel. However, these later films also are fare less exciting than his earlier Republic movies. Fortunately, "Beyond the Purple Hills" is one of his better later films.

In this story, the sheriff is killed and Gene is appointed the new sheriff...with Mike (Pat Buttram) as the deputy. However, Gene soon hates his new job as he must arrest a friend for murdering his father! But, he insists on doing his job...even if he believes the guy is innocent. So, he also acts like a detective and investigates to prove his friend isn't a killer.

The film isn't bad at all and is entertaining throughout. With fewer songs, it also seems well paced and isn't bogged down by too many numbers. Overall, an interesting plot and some nice Lone Pine location shooting.

After the town sheriff is killed during a bank robbery Gene Autry is pressed into service by town Judge Beaumont to replace him. When Beaumont himself is found murdered, his hot-headed estranged son Jack (Hugh O'Brian) becomes the chief suspect. Gene who doesn't believe Jack murdered his father sets out to solve the crime with his newly appointed deputy Mike Rawley (Pat Buttram).

The John English directed post-war westerns are some of the best that Gene ever did. Usually featuring more location shooting and less emphasis on the musical numbers. The slightly longer run times allowed for a little more in depth plot lines and just generally enjoyed higher production values.

Good entry into the Gene Autry series.

How many movies can you find Gene Autry, Wyatt Earp, Mr. Haney from Green Acres, and Miss America? The sheriff (Harry Harvey) is killed in a bank robbery but the action really starts when Hugh O'Brian is framed for the murder of the judge (Roy Gordon). The top beauty and talent in America, Jo-Carroll Dennison is stuck between her uncle (Don Beddoe) and Autry. Younger brother (Don Reynolds) and villain James Millican, play their parts well as turncoats against Sheriff Gene. Kermit Maynard, Sandy Sanders and the stunt crew were extraordinary. Then there's the most beloved man in television history, Pat Buttram as Autry's sidekick with the outstanding comic relief.

Future television Wyatt Earp Hugh O'Brian plays the unruly son of Judge Roy Gordon who is at his wit's end with him. He plans to disinherit him and a couple of unscrupulous characters use that estrangement to shoot and kill Gordon and frame O'Brian for the crime. But before he died Gordon appointed Gene Autry the acting sheriff after these same characters killed sheriff Harry Harvey in a bank robbery.

Gene arrests O'Brian on the circumstantial evidence, but doesn't believe he did it and is working to clear him. But O'Brian also has a case of the green-eyed monster as he sees Autry a rival for Jo-Carroll Dennison.

This Columbia Autry western moves at a nice pace and Gene proves quite the clever detective in this one. We know who has done the deed, the entertainment is watching Gene get these guys to trip themselves up.

The music is kept to minimum here as Gene sings the title song Beyond The Purple Hills and a big current hit Dear Hearts and Gentle People. Dinah Shore and Bing Crosby had the big sellers of that one, but Gene's singing of it is pretty good.

Definitely a good one for Autry fans.