BELLS OF ROSARITA

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans

BELLS OF ROSARITA (1945). Director: Frank McDonald. 

Sue Farnum (Dale Evans) appeals to her late father's good friend, Slim Phillips (Addison Richards), when she realizes that her father's slimy business partner, Ripley (Grant Withers) is trying to cheat her out of her circus. Slim and his daughter, Patty (Adele Mara) travel west to see what they can do. Almost immediately Slim is kidnapped! Filming nearby Sue's property, Roy Rogers, playing himself, gets involved and tries to find Slim with the help of Gabby Whittaker (Gabby Hayes) and Bob Nolan (also playing himself), head of the vocal group Sons of the Pioneers. 

Elliott, Livingstone, Sunset Carson, Allan Lane, Red Barry

Roy also comes through for Sue when he convinces her to put on a show in the nearby town and enlists the aid of the other Republic Studios western stars: Allan Lane [King of the Mounties], Sunset Carson, Wild Bill Elliot [Footsteps in the Night], Bob Livingstone and Don "Red" Barry. These fellows also help round up the ornery polecats who have kidnapped Slim. This must have been quite a thrill for Western movie fans back in the day. There's also a bunch of pleasant tunes, including Roy's "Build a Fence Around Texas" and the very talented Robert Mitchell Boy Choir. Gabby Hayes wears out his welcome rather quickly, however. 

Robert Mitchell Boy Choir

Bells of Rosarita is another "modern-day" Rogers western. The film-within-a-film that Roy is making is also entitled Bells of Rosarita and has something to do with a woman being forced to marry a man she does not love. Although there are some would-be exciting chases in the film, it can't quite escape being a little dull, although it is fun to see all of those handsome Western heroes in one movie. My mind wandered through the movie and I found myself wondering if the one black child in the choir was treated respectfully by the other white boys. It's good that he was included at all, of course. 

Verdict: A fairly typical Roy Rogers western musical with talented cast members. **1/4.    

ARKANSAS JUDGE

ARKANSAS JUDGE (1941). Director: Frank McDonald.

Tom Martel (Roy Rogers, who is not the star but heads the supporting cast) comes back to Peaceful Valley, Arkansas where two women are waiting for him: "Nice girl" Maggie (Pauline Moore), daughter of the judge, and the much sexier Hettie (Veda Ann Borg of Jungle Raiders). However, there's bigger trouble when old Widow Smithers (Elly Malyon) insists that $50 was stolen from her flour barrel by Mary Shoemaker (Spring Byington of On Their Own), who does cleaning for all the ladies in town. Before long the whole community is torn apart, and Hettie's father, August (Frank M. Thomas), who heads the church council, wants everyone to shun Mary but has suspicions about his own daughter. In the meantime Tom and Hettie grow closer, much to Maggie's consternation. The members of Maggie's family are played by Leon, Frank and June Weaver, who had formed a hillbilly singing group called "The Weaver Brothers and Elviry." As Cicero, Frank just whistles a la Harpo Marx. Minerva Urecal has a small role as one of the town biddies. Arkansas Judge is a good comedy-drama with pleasant songs, good performances, and an unpredictable story line. And Roy! Pauline Moore appeared in three Charlie Chan movies, the best of which is Charlie Chan at Treasure Island.

Verdict: Nice picture. ***.