JohnHowardReid Although it's often stated that when Rogers started out, he didn't directly compete with Gene Autry, this isn't true. In fact, he was actually hired as a replacement, as Rogers himself details at length in his autobiography. Although Rogers was never as popular with exhibitors, he had a great fan following, In fact, he managed to run up a total of no less than 91 movies in which he either starred or enjoyed a "special guest" spot in addition to his 12 appearances as one of the Sons of the Pioneers. Many of these movies are available on Public Domain DVDs, although there is no definitive edition of his work, as there is for Gene Autry. Worse, some of the DVDs reproduce cutdown TV versions rather than the original theatrical release. A pleasing exception is Volume 6 of "The Great American Western" series which reproduces the original USA release version of "My Pal Trigger". Admittedly it runs only 79 minutes, and I would have much preferred a re-issue of the 85 minutes version which Rogers himself regarded as his best film and which I saw in theaters back in 1947. Nonetheless, despite the cuts, this is still a top Rogers entry which dares to be extremely critical of law enforcement agencies. That's a nice change in itself. In fact, the only other movie I can call to mind that really gets the boot into the "justice" system is Paramount's "Vice Squad" (1931). Evidently Republic's Herb Yates had a fit when he saw the finished movie and ordered 6 minutes of cuts, but you can't cut out the theme of the movie itself, and even in its truncated state, it's still a riveting film.

vincentlynch-moonoi Roy Rogers, Gabby Hayes, Dale Evans, and of course -- Trigger...all get together for another of those great old cowboy movies that Roy made back in the 1940s. While this is not the best of Roy's films -- that would be "Don't Fence Me In" with a wonderful Gabby Hayes performance -- this is far better than average.Here, Gabby and Roy start off on opposite sides when Gabby refuses to breed his horse -- the Golden Sovereign -- with Roy's horse. The two horses escape, and Golden Sovereign is shot...Roy is blamed. Time passes and Roy returns with Trigger, the son of Golden Sovereign. Of course, Roy gets to clear his name.Another nice thing about this film -- Bob Nolan and the Sons Of The Pioneers. The bad guy here -- once cowboy star himself, and later character actor Jack Holt.Many of the old Roy Rogers films didn't survive well being cut up to fit 60 minute time slots on black and white television back in the 1950s. This one did (at least the version shown recently on TCM), although the sound track has a very bad hiss throughout.One thing that these later Roy Rogers films suffered from were clear glimpses that Roy was using a double, for example, in the fight scenes...and that happens here. Gabby Hayes does more real acting in this film -- playing the father to Dale's character, and he shows more depth than usual.Westerns have certainly lost their dominance in cinema today, and the Roy Rogers films are certainly out of vogue, but historically Roy was the King Of The Cowboys, and this is one of his films that is worth watching.

bkoganbing I saw an edited version of this film that was done for television. Other reviewers here have mentioned scenes from it that I didn't see.There is more drama in this than in most of Roy Rogers's films. In fact he and Dale only sing one number right at the beginning because they become enemies.Dale is Gabby Hayes's daughter and Gabby is playing it more serious than he usually does. Roy's riding a mare called Lady when the film opens and he wants to breed his mare with Gabby's palomino named Golden Sovereign. Even though Roy's request is refused, the horses have a clandestine liaison. But then Gabby's horse is shot dead and Roy gets blamed for it. The rest of the film is how Roy rights all the wrongs and ends up with the product of the mating. You guessed it, his pal Trigger.I'm also thinking that maybe a musical number or two might have been cut from the version of My Pal Trigger I saw. I doubt it though, it would have taken away from the general seriousness of this particular Rogers-Evans film.Also note the presence of Jack Holt who is the villain of this film. It was one of his last, but his son Tim was doing B westerns over at RKO while Jack was in this Republic product. Jack Holt's got all kinds of villainous tricks up his sleeve here. Hopefully other viewers will see a complete version of My Pal Trigger and not the one I saw.

David Matthews I went on a nostalgia trip and screened this movie when hearing of the death of Dale Evans. It is the best of the Roy Rogers movies with a real story and some genuinely touching moments, it is also a nice reminder of what a pretty and gracious lady Dale Evans was.