Singing Guns

Along around 1950 Herbert J. Yates was starting to lose his bread and butter which were his B picture cowboy stars. The biggest of them was Roy Rogers and he was making noises about going into television as were the others. Yates never recognized that this was the coming trend, so he was looking for more cowboy stars, if they sung so much the better.

Vaughn Monroe was coming off a big hit with Ghost Riders In The Sky so he looked like a good bet. Yates even got him some A list support here with leading lady Ella Raines and Ward Bond as the sheriff and Walter Brennan as the town doctor.

Monroe plays the outlaw Rihannon who has a fabulous store of gold obtained from robbing gold shipments from a mining company who did him dirt and he's getting some literal and figurative payback. Bond trails him successfully, but when they shoot it out Bond is badly wounded. Instead of leaving him to die, Monroe takes him to Brennan and his life is saved. Also a heavy head of hair and beard is shaved off Monroe by Brennan leaving Monroe unrecognizable.

Raines is the local saloon owner and she like what she sees in Monroe. But she also likes money and all three of them have their interest in Monroe.

Singing Guns is a good western though it sure never created a demand for more westerns from Vaughn Monroe. The film even got an Oscar nomination for Best Song when Mule Train was nominated. A whole slew of artists recorded Mule Train back in 1950 and Frankie Laine had the big selling record. But Monroe's version is outstanding.

See if you think Vaughn Monroe could have made it as a western star.

Catch what appears to be innuendo in the opening stagecoach scene between Ella Raines and the guy sitting across from her. Rather surprising for a Republic Western. It's hardly unusual for a pop singer to transition to movies. Examples range from crooners Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra to rocker Elvis to more contemporary Ice Cube. Monroe makes a manful effort, but in my book the results are best described as uneven. Note how much more relaxed he appears when doing what he does best—sing (I'm glad they worked in Mule Train, the main reason I tuned in).

Wisely, the studio surrounded him with a cast of very capable performers. In fact, Ward Bond has almost as much screen time as Monroe; and ditto for that sly old fox, Walter Brennan. They may have made a mistake with Raines, however. Her glamorous presence and strong personality clearly overshadow that of the uncertain newcomer. Nonetheless, the locations from scenic Sedona, Arizona, make for a series of terrific background shots. The story is more interesting than most oaters, but also more complicated. I had trouble following many of the developments, but maybe that's my fault. Anyway, all things considered, it's a decent enough horse opera. And judging by his scant screen credits, Monroe made the right decision sticking with his unusually fine baritone.

If you like good old fashioned westerns, you'll like this movie. It is a common story of guy goes bad for good reasons and how he gets back on the right side. Look at the credits for Director, Writer, Screenplay and the list of actors.Can't get much better. That whole list is in the "A" category. Even with Vaughn Monroe's lack of acting experience it is hard not to like him because of the good story line and the "hero" that he plays, a goodguy that is good at whatever he does and only does it when he has to. He is the type of guy that anyone would like to be like. He can fight, shoot, sing, play the piano and ends up with the good looking Ella Raines. What more could a guy ask for. Good Entertainment!

'Singing Guns', despite the irrelevant title and the presence in the lead of bandleader & baritone Vaughan Monroe (although he does get to sing), isn't about a singing cowboy, but is instead a good looking, intelligently scripted and well acted psychological western.

With his cold eyes (first seen while holding up a stagecoach with his face covered) Vaughan doesn't look like your typical western hero and he doesn't play one here; but Republic capitalises on his rather unusual presence with another interesting script (from a novel by Max Brand) by siblings Dorrell & Stuart E. McGowan and slick direction from R.G.Springsteen. The Trucolor process not inappropriately makes the film resemble early 20th Century handcoloured postcards, aided by James Sullivan's handsome art direction and Reggie Lanning's atmospheric photography.

Monroe receives reliable support from western veterans Ward Bond and Walter Brennan; and the film also provides a rare opportunity to savour in colour the always fascinating, if here underused, Ella Raines.

Charming B-western from Republic on tight budge in marvelous Trucolor with many backdrops colorful paintings and some shooting on locations, the story of redemption of an outlaw called Rhiannon (Vaughan Monroe) who went to wrong side of the law due he has been crushed by cruel system of an unbridled capitalist company, his answer will be stealing gold shipping from stagecoach line that blighted his life for good, hence he has to hide in a secret cave at high mountains nearby.

For nothing despicable 5.000 thousand bucks for his head and more incredible still 50.000 bucks for his secret hideout, due there lays out a million dollars of stolen gold, his reckless pursuer is the Sheriff Jim Caradac (Ward Bond), after a thwarted attempted robbery of the stagecoach line, Rhiannon was chase by the untamed Sheriff, in the action he was cheated by the cunning Jim Caradac pretending be hit by gunfire, Rhiannon goes to check and be taken aback, both enter a fight and accidentally he shot a gun hitting the Sheriff leaving Caradac seriously wounded, then he decides takes a risk carrying him to a Dr. Jonathan Mark (Walter Brennan) at the city, posing as just a passerby named Johnny that found the body in the middle of the road.

The wise Doctor demands him to give his blood to save the Sheriff otherwise he'll die soon, the faltering guy there's no choice, in the another day he was nominee as new Sheriff while he is recovering, also Rhiannon has a blatant love interest in the eye-candy Nan Morgan (Ella Raines) a high class poker player, however in a couple months ahead will be another hidden gold shipment and Rhiannon in counting the days.

Psychological western mainly enforces by the wise Doctor-Preacher Jonathan who plays a bold game with the singing Outlaw, the Sheriff and the greedy Nan, thus the die is cast, I consider the old Walter Brennan one the most colorful and charismatic character in the western that I have seen, quite sure, he has own brightness that shines all around, what a fabulous old guy!!

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First watch: 2012 / How many: 2 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7