Colorado (1940)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Joseph Kane

Writers:

Louis Stevens (screenplay) &
Harrison Jacobs (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 September 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

Thrilling Adventure In Dangerous Days... As Roy Rogers blazes down ambushed trails to bring justice to an outlaw town!

Plot:

Trouble in Colorado is tying up Union troops needed back east during the Civil War and Lieut. Burke is sent to investigate...

Plot Keywords:

Colorado | Stagecoach | Long Lost Relative | Gunshot Wound | Gambling

Cast

Roy Rogers	...	Lieutenant Jerry Burke
George 'Gabby' Hayes	...	'Gabby' Whittaker
Pauline Moore	...	Lylah Sanford
Milburn Stone	...	Don Burke alias Captain Donald Mason
Maude Eburne	...	Etta Mae
Arthur Loft	...	Jim Macklin - Indian Commissioner
Hal Taliaferro	...	Weaver
Vester Pegg	...	Henchman Sam Smith
Fred Burns	...	Sheriff Jeff Harkins
Lloyd Ingraham	...	Henry Sanford

Runtime:

USA:54 min (edited version) | USA:57 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #6525) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Agoura Ranch, Agoura, California, USA

Company:

Republic Pictures

Trivia:

Jay Novello is listed as a cast member by modern sources, but he was not seen in the movie.

Quotes:

Lylah Sanford: You have just proven you can still do the right thing.
Capt. Donald Mason: It'll probably be the last time I'll ever be fool enough to do it.

Soundtrack:

Taps

Sometimes The Civil War Was About Brother Against Brother

Back when I was a lad there was a shortlived television series called The Americans which starred Darryl Hickman and Dick Davalos as the Canfield brothers who went their separate ways when the Civil War broke out. The episodes alternated back and forth with Darryl serving in the Union Army and Dick doing his bit for the Confederacy. Too bad it didn't last longer.

In fact in real life a whole lot of families were torn that way. Kentucky statesman John Crittenden had two sons both of whom became generals in the opposing armies. So the premise of Roy Rogers and Milburn Stone on opposite sides is quite real.

Rogers is on detached duty from the Union Army as a Pinkerton man out in Colorado trying to locate who's behind stirring up a whole variety of trouble that's tying down needed troops in the west. Of course it's his brother Milburn Stone and the pursuit plus Roy's agony about hunting one of his kin is the heart of Colorado.

Rogers only gets one song, sung while he's recuperating from a gunshot wound to leading lady Pauline Moore. He's called on to do a bit more acting than would normally be the case and he handles it well.

Colorado deserved a bigger budget and an A cast for the film. It was as another reviewer pointed out, badly butchered in the editing. Yet it's still worthwhile viewing.