The Royal Rodeo (1939)

A young monarch, bored with responsibility and craving excitement, invites a traveling rodeo show to perform at his palace.

Director:

George Amy

Writers:

Owen Crump (screenplay), Nate Gatzert (from an original story by)

Stars:

John Payne, Lucile Fairbanks, Cliff Edwards

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Payne	...	Bill Stevens
Lucile Fairbanks	...	Marianne (as Lucille Fairbanks)
Cliff Edwards	...	Shorty
Scotty Beckett	...	The King
Boyd Irwin	...	Regent

Storyline

In the small European country of Avania, the King, who is only a child, is more interested in the arriving American cowboy show led by Bill Stevens than he is about affairs of the state. After meeting Bill, the King requests that a rodeo be held at the castle. The two begin a friendship based on Bill seeing in the King what he himself was like when he was a child. When the Regent of Avania abducts the King and his governess Marianne in an elaborate and widespread conspiracy to overthrow the King, Stevens puts on a real live wild west show to save the pair and maintain the monarchy as it should be. In doing so, Bill also hopes to demonstrate a wider perspective of life the American way.

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Plot Keywords:

king | show | cowboy | american | rodeo | 

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Genres:

Short | Musical | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 November 1939 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros, Vitaphone Corporation, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

15 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Vitaphone production reels #9539-9540.

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Quotes

[opening title card]
Title Card: Somewhere in Europe nestles the country of Avania ~ A small nation with the manner of a mighty kingdom.

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Connections

Version of The Royal Rider (1929)

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Soundtracks

"The Good Old American Way"
(uncredited)
Music by M.K. Jerome
Lyrics by Jack Scholl
Performed by John Payne, Cliff Edwards and chorus

User Reviews

Audacious kitsch

This amazing short, in glorious Technicolor, brings together disparate elements one would never expect to see combined, except perhaps in a surrealist play - a vaguely European royal court presided over by a chipper, 1930s American-style kid who orders a command performance of a wild west show (which just happens to be passing through the area). Add a couple of songs and some rousing American patriotism, and you have a startlingly audacious slice of kitsch. The disparate elements aren't smoothly meshed; they're strung together with a daring, in-your-face boldness. Hats off to Warner Brothers for this crazy experiment!