Song of the Gringo (1936)

Director:

John P. McCarthy

Writers:

John P. McCarthy (story) and
Robert Emmett Tansey (story) ...

Release Date:

22 November 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

The West's Own Singing Cowboy Star with His Horse White Flash

Plot:

In his film debut Ritter is sent to investigate miners being killed and their mines confiscated. The culprit is Evans and after Tex joins the gang...

Plot Keywords:

Miner | Mine | Murder | Remake

Cast

Tex Ritter	...	Tex
Joan Woodbury	...	Lolita Maria Dolores Del Valle
Fuzzy Knight	...	Slim Zony
Monte Blue	...	Sheriff
Ted Adams	...	Evans
Warner Richmond	...	Henchman 'Cherokee'
Al J. Jennings	...	Judge (as Al Jennings)
Martin Garralaga	...	Don Esteban Valle
William Desmond	...	Bailiff
Forrest Taylor	...	Prosecuting Attorney
Robert Fiske	...	Defense Attorney
Rosa Rey	...	Rosita (the maid)
José Pacheco	...	Orchestra Leader (as Jose Pacheco and His Continental Orchestra)

Also Known As:

The Old Corral (UK)

Runtime:

62 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #2791)

Company:

Boots and Saddles Pictures

Trivia:

Just prior to start of filming this, his first movie, Tex Ritter went to a barber shop for a haircut. He fell asleep in the barber's chair and too much hair was cut off. This is why in most of this movie he keeps his hat clamped tightly on his head, and when he does remove it he's wearing a very obvious wig.

Quotes:

Evans: Lolita, the Don's daughter, is of special interest to me. Is that clear?
Tex: Well I-I gather you mean, uh, you don't want no one to cut your fences.
Evans: You are very, very, comprehensive.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs (2000) (TV)

Soundtrack:

You Are Reality

Tex Carries His First Movie and Sings "Rye Whiskey" Too!

In his debut movie, the camera stays on Tex most of the film, as he sings, tells tall tales, romances the leading lady, and fights the bad guys. Here, in 1936, he was thin, and although he had a boyish and slightly impish look, he carries himself and the movie well as a Western Hero. In an outdoor scene with evil henchman Warner Richmond, you learn that 'You don't mess with Tex!'

He sings four songs: a couple of his own, "Out on the Prairie," and "My Sweet Chiquita," and two old folk songs, "Sam Hall," and "Rye Whiskey," which became one of his most popular and most requested hits that he performed for the rest of his life. We can see John Ritter in him as he does a comedic turn singing "Rye Whiskey" disguised as a drunken Mexican. This is worth the price of the movie alone!

As in so many other B westerns, the hero goes undercover to root out the evil doers--in this case the ranch supervisor who is killing miners for their mines and wealth. Tex does it, and gets (and kisses) the girl, played by Joan Woodbury. She performs her own dance at her birthday fiesta. You can also see her as the zombie-like wife in the Mantan Moreland wonder "King of the Zombies" (1941) and as Brenda Starr herself in the Columbia serial "Brenda Starr, Reporter" (1945).

Also of note is the fact that since the house Tex is staying at belongs to a Spanish don, we hear many of the characters (including Joan) speaking to each other in Spanish. The 'Perry Mason' like courtroom ending, while not altogether unexpected, seems a little rushed.

So while this film has historical value for Tex's performance of "Rye Whiskey," I can only give it a 5.