On the Old Spanish Trail (1947)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

William Witney

Writers:

Sloan Nibley (screenplay)
Gerald Geraghty (story)

Release Date:

15 October 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

With a $10,000 note Roy co-signed for the Pioneers due, Roy plans to get the money from the reward for the capture of the Gypsy...

Plot Keywords:

Reward | Ambush | Punch Drunk | Mexican Gypsy | Town Celebration

Cast

Roy Rogers	...	Roy Rogers
Trigger	...	Trigger, the Smartest Horse in the West
Tito Guízar	...	Rico / The Gypsy
Jane Frazee	...	Candy Martin
Andy Devine	...	Constable Cookie Bullfincher
Estelita Rodriguez	...	Lolita
Charles McGraw	...	Harry Blaisdell
Fred Graham	...	Henchman Marcos
Steve Darrell	...	Henchman
Marshall Reed	...	Henchman
Wheaton Chambers	...	Oil Co. Clerk MacIntyre
Bob Nolan	...	Bob
Sons of the Pioneers	...	Musicians

Runtime:

USA:57 min (Western Channel print) | 75 min (original version) | 54 min (edited version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (TV prints) | Color (Trucolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California, USA

Company:

Republic Pictures (I)

Trivia:

The print shown on Turner Classic Movies, from Peter Rodgers Organization, is undoubtedly an old 16mm print made for the home movie market before being sold to television in the early 1950's. The tip-off is on the Republic Pictures Logo and the opening title card over which a black bar has been superimposed on the print covering what must have been the words 'In Trucolor'. In 1952 it was cut to 54 minutes for the television market and distributed by Hollywood Television Service whose logo then replaced Republic Pictures on the opening and closing of all their prints; if this were a print made for television it would have those earmarks. The commercially available VHS tapes are also B&W and possibly from the same source, if complete, or else from the television print source, if incomplete. Television prints were all both edited and in black and white. The version shown on the Western Channel is the shorter, television version.

Surprisingly suspenseful for a 4AM Roy Rogers sing-along.

This movie was very corny and fun to watch. I'd never seen a Roy Rogers picture before, but my expectations were not disappointed. The stage chases really seem fast-paced, like a big budget Mummy movie. But really, the stuntmen were very good (with horses). Roy is kind of a dope, but fulfills the classic trusting cowboy a baby boomer would need for a hero. (My dad) Jane Frazee is pretty hot in black and white. But the silver screen was a sexy thing. Tito Guizar's voice is quite beautiful, singing clear melodies that remind me of old, pasty, pre-bugs bunny cartoons and merry old England for some reason. Anyway, it's worth a middle of the night view - and if you're going on your 3rd day of awake, it's entertaining. Dopey happy endings that would make John Wayne's reversable, matching red and blue flannels jealous.