Melody Ranch (1940) User Reviews

Why would you do a radio broadcast and highlight a tap dancer?! I'm really confused about this portion of the film!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 29 August 2020]

The old Roy Rogers and Gene Autry movies were very odd in that many times they played fictionalized versions of their real life selves. What I mean is that in some of their films instead of living in the west, they are successful actors or singers or radio stars...and often these 'stars' decide to head back west for some special event.

In the case of "Melody Ranch", the film begins with Gene a radio star who is convinced to return to his old home town of Torpedo where he'll be made an honorary sheriff. He thinks it's a great opportunity to re-establish ties with his old friends...and his producer thinks it'll be great publicity. However, this reunion turns out to be a bit of a dud, as the nasty Wildhack Boys (Barton MacLane and Joe Sawyer) boss everyone around...and they plan on doing the same to Autry! The depth of the problem is obvious after Autry intervenes when these guys and their jerk friends are shooting up the bar. He takes one of the WIldhacks to court...where the crooked judge immediately dismisses the case!

The problem, however, doesn't blow over and it all comes to a head during one of Gene's broadcasts from Torpedo. The same Wildhack and his friend disrupt the broadcast and force Gene to fight them both...and he does fine until one of them smacks Gene over the head! Gene feels shamed...and determines to get himself in shape for another showdown....something which doesn't come for some time in the film.

In the meantime, Gene's occasional nemesis back East, Julie (Ann Miller), begins acting strangely. She seems to becoming enamored with Gene...and she's already the producer's girlfriend!

Seeing Joe Sawyer, Horace McMahon, and Barton MacLane playing big, mean bullies certainly is no surprise. They OFTEN played physical jerks like this and so it's no surprise they are in these roles. What WAS a surprise was seeing Gene with two sidekicks...Gabby Hayes and, believe it or not, Jimmy Durante!! Durante was a strange addition to an Autry film, that's for sure....though less weird than when Durante was paired with Buster Keaton a few years earlier! Plus, oddly, it worked very well...which shocked me! Overall, a fun little film with a rousing finale...as well as a funny parody of Gene's most famous cowboy tune, "I'm Back in the Saddle Again".

Conflicting Talents...

[xerses13 · 6/10 · 10 February 2010]

Take your #1 Box Office Star of Republic Pictures, GENE AUTRY the 'Singing Cowboy' sensation. Now insert a love interest in a very young ANN MILLER, 'Tops In Taps'. Support GENE with comedic side-kicks JIMMY DURANTE and GEORGE 'Gabby' HAYES with character actors like JEROME COWAN. Garner in a opposition more suitable too a Warner Brothers (WB) gangster film, like BARTON MacLANE, JOE SAWYER and HORACE McMAHON. Then add in the typical mixture of GENE singing and two-fisted Republic action and you have MELODY RANCH (1940).

The plot is typical of a AUTRY film. Set in a West that is a cross-breed of 1890 and 1940. GENE needs to promote his Radio career, bring 'law and order' to a town gone wrong and win the girl. This is effectively done in 84" which is rather longer then the typical Republic 'oater' of the time. The interesting thing is while GENE and the rest act like this is part of the 'Old West', MacLANE, SAWYER and McMAHON perform as if they are working with CAGNEY in N.Y.C. circa 1936 at the WB.

The better AUTRY's as well as the ROY ROGERS films are generally a good watch most coming in at a IMDb Six******Stars. They are entertaining and both Stars will easily transition to the new medium Television. Not surprising, since Republic's economy and speed of production was well suited as a training ground for T.V.

Gene Autry's First Big Budget Western

[romanorum1 · 7/10 · 4 September 2013]

In the 1930s and early 1940s, Gene Autry was America's number one cowboy on the silver screen. At the same time Melody Ranch was the name of his weekly radio variety show. As was already pointed out, these two themes were united in Republic's big picture of feature length (84 min.), which includes a nice supporting cast. In the movie, Gene has a weekly radio show on station KRL in LA. His cast includes Cornelius J. Courtney (Jimmy Durante) and Julie Shelton (teenaged Ann Miller). There is also Penny Curtis (Mary Lee), but no Smiley Burnette in this one.

During Frontier Days celebration in Torpedo, Arizona, Gene Autry has been named honorary sheriff and he accepts the town's invitation to bring his radio show there. Torpedo looks like an 1895 western town, except that it is electrified, has pay telephone and radio, and a few automobiles. The trolley line is electrified, a plausible setting for the period. Folks wear a combination of western and eastern clothing, and there are 1930-style majorettes in the welcoming parade. A thrilling stagecoach race is featured, and there is a spectacular crash where a stagecoach crashes into the horse water trough while turning a corner; the stunt man (Yakima Canutt?) did a nice job of jumping in time and not getting killed. That scene has been used in other western movies.

Torpedo is mostly run by the uncultivated Wildhack Brothers (Jasper, Mack, and Bud). As the school adjoins the active saloon (to say the least), classrooms are often disrupted by loud noise, rowdiness, and discharged firearms. When the Wildhacks disturb the class in the presence of Gene and Pop Laramie (Gabby Hayes), charges are brought against them. A judge dismisses the charges. A funny scene is Cornelius playing the role of defendant and lawyer, resulting in a fine of $25. Nevertheless, Gene exposes the brothers' shenanigans on his radio broadcast. As the Wildhacks attempt to stop the show, there is a fist fight. Although outnumbered Gene holds his own fighting two Wildhacks (Jasper and Bud), Jasper (Joe Sawyer) clubs him over the head from behind and knocks him out. (Mack – Barton Maclane – is passive, wears business clothing, and does not engage in the fist fighting.) Nevertheless Pop says that Gene lost because he is out of shape and needs toughening up on his spread, called Melody Ranch. Gene agrees, and begins his routine of rising at 5:00 AM and working the ranch. Later Gene gets his revenge when he fights Bud (Horace MacMahon) and Jasper Wildhack individually on Pop's Torpedo trolley and wins. Cornelius calls the rounds. Now the humiliated Wildhacks are forced to sing on Gene's radio show, and they do not do a bad job. During an earlier show Ann Miller did a routine that showed off her shapely dancing legs. Originally scorning Gene, Julie begins to take a liking to him.

Meanwhile Gene decides to runs for sheriff against the corrupt Barstow, backed by the Wildhack political bloc. "A vote for Gene Autry is a vote for clean government." The bad guys try to keep out the honest faction by erecting a barricade across the main street, near the town hall. Understanding that the days of the "Wild West" are over, Mack instructs the shooters to aim high so as to avoid bloodshed (Just "scare 'em until the polls close at 7:00 PM!"). But Bud, who has already killed one of Gene's friends, aims low with intent on shooting directly at Gene's assembled relief force. Noting that the trolley track is perpendicular to the barricade (and town hall), Gene singlehandedly boards the trolley, operates it, and smashes into the barricade. Jasper Wildhack rallies his desperadoes who retreat into the town hall and shoot a stream of hot lead at the posse. But Gene sends the trolley crashing into the building, ending the Wildhack dominance of Torpedo. Cornelius helps round up the bad guys.

Of all of Gene Autry's movies, this film is deemed by The American Film Institute to be worthy of permanent movie preservation. While some viewers may feel that there are several better and more action packed Autry films, this one is worth seeing. It has better production values than the typical Gene Autry western. The back-up casting is fine all-around. Jimmy Durante, already a well-known comedian and movie actor, had his own TV show in the 1950s. Ann Miller and Gabby Hayes also made their marks in the entertainment world. Even the bad guys (Joe Sawyer, Barton Maclane, Horace MacMahon) do their best to be appropriately mean. So stake your claim on Melody Ranch!

Better than usual Gene Autry western with surprising co-stars.

[dan-180 · 6/10 · 28 April 2003]

A rather interesting Republic western with Gene Autry. This one is long 83 minutes for one, and although it has a plot done numerous times before is interesting due to the comic relief of Jimmy Durante and Vera Vague, who normally wouldn't be seen in B westerns. In addition a 17 year old Ann Miller plays his love interest and does one of her customary tap numbers. Why it almost seems like a small MGM musical.

Gene Autry cleans up his hometown Torpedo

[lindsay_duke · 5 February 2005]

This is my favorite western film. I would gladly recommend it to anyone who enjoys clean entertainment. It features 2 great actors Gene Autry and Jimmy Durante. It provides the family with great entertainment that even young children can enjoy. This film features some very nice songs, among them the title song "Melody Ranch" and "We Never Dream the Same Dream Twice". It is one of the best examples of adventurous musical westerns. Comedy routines including Jimmy Durante make the movie appealing to fun loving audiences as well. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who likes Gene Autry and his western style of crooning the songs of the old West.

A busy homecoming for Gene Autry.

[michaelRokeefe · 7/10 · 2 May 2006]

Just shy of seeming like a big time MGM musical. I'm happy to settle for this short black & white Gene Autry sagebrush saga. A very talented group assembled to appear in one of Autry's best. Gene comes home to Torpedo, Arizona and is declared honorary sheriff during a Frontier Days Celebration. He does have enough authority to clean up the town and rid Torpedo of some of the worst law breakers in the Old West. Gene gets to sing the title tune "Melody Ranch" as well as "Call of the Canyon" and a very likable "We Never Dream the Same Dream Twice".

This round up of talent features: Ann Miller, Jimmy Durante, Horace McMahon and 'Gabby' Hayes as Pop Laramie and Barbara Jo Allen as 'Vera Vague'.

"A vote for Gene Autry is a vote for clean government"!

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 8 February 2010]

I was somewhat taken aback to see Jimmy Durante in this picture backing up Gene Autry. No Smiley Burnette or Pat Buttram on hand, and even though having Gabby Hayes around wasn't such a big surprise, he didn't have his usual comedic sidekick role. In fact, when you get right down to it, this picture had some fairly big name supporting players for a B Western. Barton MacLane and Ann Miller had headlined pictures of their own, and the rest of the cast were well recognized character actors of the era. It was cool to see all the disparate personalities in a film together.

I got the biggest kick though out of Durante, playing up his persona as the 'man who knowses noses'. I couldn't quite figure out what the whole idea of the Nose Posse was all about, but with Durante you don't have to. He'll just misdirect you with his lively patter, like the hilarious cross examination of himself during the courtroom scene.

Aside from your standard round the campfire songs, this picture also offered some lively alternative entertainment, like Ann Miller's energetic tap dance routine and the surprising duet by two thirds of the Wildhack Brothers - Sawyer (Jasper) and Horace McMahon (Bud) in a duet of 'Go Back to the City Again'. It actually sounded pretty good to my tin ear.

Unusually lengthy for an Autry flick at eighty four minutes, it would have been interesting if Republic got through the entire thing without resorting to the shoot 'em up action at the finale. But that's what the matinée fans turned out to see back in the Forties, and on that score they weren't disappointed. I'm wondering though, did they ever get around to counting the final votes?

Singing is nice, acting is average

[craig_smith9 · 5/10 · 15 January 2002]

Gene Autry has a radio show with singing and a drama each week. His co-star, Ann Miller, thinks he his, shall we say, less than sophisticated. She thinks she is too good for him and the show. His hometown wants him to come back as honorary sheriff during a special celebration. While there he tangles with three brothers who run the town headed by Barton MacLane. And Gene develops a love interest toward Ann. As a movie the acting is somewhat weak. Ann Miller goes around with a smile plastered on her face regardless of the type of scene. If she had put more into her performance I would have rated this movie higher. Then there is Jimmy Durante (who has some very good scenes) and Gabby Hayes (who always does his 'Gabby' role very well). They used their scenes very effectively. Bartin MacLane as the bad guy also used his talents effectively in the few scenes he was in. In other words, the character actors put some real effort into their roles and they are quite enjoyable. Not a movie that you will see over and over again but it certainly worth seeing once. 5/10

Definitely worthy of its reputation!

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 4 July 2019]

Gene Autry goes for the big time in this Republic musical comedy with western ideals that brings a little Broadway into the mix with the presence of Ann Miller and Jimmy Durante. actually, it has a radio background with the threesome part of Gene's radio show dad visits his hometown where they discover corruption led by the nefarious Barton MacLane. While striving to clean up the town and restore Gene finds romance with a tap dancing Annie while the great schnozzola provides the comic relief in his romance with Vera Vague.

Immediately following a romantic duet with Gene, Annie gets to show off her tapping skills with "My Gal Sal" (later the subject of a Technicolor musical with Rita Hayworth), and Jimmy battles in malapropisms with George "Gabby" Hayes. This did well because it combined the audiences of several genres and fixes them in a stew pot very well cooked. Durante and Vague provide a funny bit of comedy as her school teacher utilizes Durante in a very funny version of "Little Red Riding Hood".

Mary Lee and Billy Benedict ("The Bowery Boys" series) are there for a minor teen romance, and in supporting roles, Jerome Cowan, Clarence Wilson (delightfully funny as a snarky judge), Dick Elliott, Joe Sawyer and Horace McMahon (the last two as MacLane's men who got to perform a couple of musical ditties) all provide solid support. This was definitely an A-lister for Republic and remain solid entertainment nearly 80 years later.

Great cast killed by corn

[estabansmythe · 5/10 · 30 April 2006]

"Melody Ranch" (1940) is one of Gene Autry's best-known and most popular Oaters. In reality,while not his best, it's still entertaining as all get-out!

The only neative is the screenplay by Jack Moffitt, F. Hugh Herbet (norelation to the comic character actor), Bradford Ropes and Betty Burbridge: It's got a little too much comic corn.

The film boasts an unusually strong cast,including Gabby Hayes, Gene's love interest Ann Miller (who never ever looked more stunning - she's a total knockout here at age 17), bad guy Barton MacLane, and Jerome Cowan (a year before Mary Astor bumps him off when he played Bogie's Sam Spade partner Miles Archer near the beginning of "The Maltese Falcon").

Serving as Gene's back-up band...Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys! The fella who gets the lion's share of the corny jokes is that wonderful legend, Jimmy Durante. His role is similar to his Banjo in "The Man Who Came to Dinner" four years later, in 1944.

I absolutely love the two-reel B film "Oater" westerns of the '30 & '40s and the western TV series of the '50s. This one comes close to being included among them but the high corn factor keeps it off the list. But Ann Miller is really great to look at here.

Needs More Gene and Less Jimmy

[dougdoepke · 26 February 2010]

Looks like Republic was angling for a cross-over audience with this bigger-budget blend of comedy, romance, music, and shoot-'em-up. Comedy prevails since we get three comics ( Durante, Hayes, and Allen) instead of the usual one. In fact, in terms of screen time, Durante gets more than Gene. He also gets a number of extended routines, making him the real "center" of the show. For me at least, that's too bad because a little of his bombastic style goes a long way.The chuckles should have been left to Hayes who can help carry a story and not interrupt it. In fact, the screenplay appears an awkward cut-and-paste job, at best, which is not too surprising since not one or two, but six writers are credited! Whatever else, it's certainly not a formula Western.

Instead, it's basically tongue-in-cheek. Check out bad guys Sawyer and McMahon doing a duet that's really rather charming. Or the little spoof of shoot-outs when a heedless Allen chatters her way through a supposed hail of bullets. Or a Western town named, of all things, "Torpedo". At the same time, the movie does have its moments—the great gabby Hayes and a charismatic little Mary Lee, or the trolley car rolling oddly through the desert, or an amazingly accomplished 17-year old Ann Miller. Still and all, I could have used a lot more Gene and a lot less Jimmy.