JohnHowardReid Oh, Susanna! (1936). In this unusual but even more ridiculously far-fetched plot, Gene Autry, would you believe, is wanted for murder? Perhaps Republic boss, Herb Yates, firmly believed that Texas lawmen were not only corrupt but incredibly stupid? Never mind, just sit back and enjoy the fast action. Director Joe Kane even has a couple of speeding cars run over the camera! This time, Smiley Burnette teams up with Earle Hodgins to provide not only comedy relief but acting support for Autry's rather stoic hunted man. And railroad buffs will have a ball at the beginning of the movie when the villain's very obvious double boards a moving train from horseback!

classicsoncall In this early Gene Autry film, Gene's identity is assumed by outlaw Wolf Benson (Boothe Howard) and he spends the rest of the story attempting to clear his name. Helping him out are Smiley Burnette as Frog Millhouse, and Earle Hodgins as Professor Ezekial Daniels, together forming the Millhouse-Daniels Entertainment Company. Smiley's comedy relief efforts go without saying, but having Hodgins around is always a bonus because you never know what his character is going to do. To distract the folks of Sage City while Frog springs Gene from jail, he bites off a chunk of soap and goes into a mad dog act that's just classic.Another bonus for this picture occurs early when the trio first arrive in Sage City, and Gene walks through town with all the citizens thinking he's Wolf Benson. Passing a local general store, the viewer gets a great view of some vintage commercial ads for products like Mobiloil, Morton's Salt, and Lipton's Tea (retaining the 's'). I've seen those before, but was startled to see a couple more for Butterfinger and get this - Champion Spark Plugs! You could have stopped the picture for me right there! There's also a great 'in' joke for folks like me who've been around a while. When Gene insists to the Sage City sheriff that he's really singing star Autry, one of the deputies replies "Yeah, and I'm Bing Crosby". I wonder if Autry had a handshake deal with Crosby to mention each other's names in their pictures; in his 1947 film with Bob Hope, "Road to Rio", Crosby name drops Autry and Bogart while on the run from angry fathers of jilted females the boys have left behind.As far as the story here goes, there's not a lot new for fans who've seen a bunch of B Westerns, with or without Gene Autry. The good guys smoke out the bandits in fine fashion, and manage to throw in at least six songs by my count. Gene does a couple of duets with female lead Frances Grant, and the Light Crust Doughboys send up a spirited rendition of 'Hold That Tiger'. Smiley appears in drag, believe it or not, in a vaudeville type skit with Hodgins while riding a bicycle-like contraption. I could tell what a good idea Hodgins thought it was when I saw him spike his beer with a shot of whiskey from his vest flask.

Spondonman According to the records this was Gene's 12th film - with June Storey nowhere in sight yet but with the formula of chasing baddies with a few songs and a tiny romance that wouldn't bother the kids well in place.It starts with a baddie being chased by the law, jumping onto a moving train, immediately coshing the unsuspecting Autry, thieving his identity and dumping him overboard to his supposed death. All in a minute's work! However, the dazed Gene gets picked up by two travelling entertainers, one of them Frog, and the hunt is on to track the baddie and his gang down who are using his name and not in vain. Favorite songs: Dear Old Western Skies and Water Wheel, while the Light Crust Doughboys got to do a breakneck Tiger Rag and As Our Pals Ride By that put me in mind of La Golondrina from The Wild Bunch. Gene has his usual whirlwind romance, this time with Frances Grant for their 2nd time.At only 53 minutes long a lot gets packed in here, whether you think it was worth it is up to you, but personally I've always enjoyed Autry's films - nothing heavy to ponder about during or afterwards. I have no problem enjoying things meant to be pleasant. It's freely available as public domain on the internet too, the only cost to really consider being your time.

malcolmgsw This is a fairly early film from Gene Autrys career.I bought the VHS by air mail.I have to say that the manufacturers have copied from a very battered print.So much so that the film is stated to be 59 minutes in length but in fact is only 53 minutes.I have to say that the fact that it is entertaining is despite not because of the screenplay.The plot hinges on the fact that nobody can recognized Autry and therefore accept that because an escaped murderer has changed clothes with him he is the murderer and vice versa.At the end there is a fight on a moving car which defies logic.However there are the usual quota of songs,although i believe that one or two may be missing.To conclude it will entertain you if you are an enthusiast of Western films.Otherwise you would be better off spending 53minutes digging in the garden.