weezeralfalfa Review of Ridin' Down the Canyon

Ridin' Down the Canyon (1942)

Gabby, in 1942, hosts the first self-driving car.

[6/10 · 25 March 2019]

Gabby Hayes and Pat Brady, of the Sons of the Pioneers, have periodic fits of fighting with each other. In one episode, while Gabby is driving his old car, and Pat is the passenger, the steering wheel comes off, Gabby plays with it, then hands it to Pat, who hands it back. Eventually, the car crashes, wrecking it, but the occupants aren't hurt.........9y.o. Bobby Blake(Buzz Henry) and his beautiful marriageable sister, Alice(Linda Hayes), have spent the last year catching wild horses to sell. They have probably 100 and hope to sell them soon, making enough money to fix up and modernize their ranch house. Alice talks to horse buyer Mr. Butler, who agrees to buy the entire herd. Neighbor Burt Wooster is also present, and hears the conversation. Latter, Bobby and Alice realize that all the horses have been stolen........Bobby runs away, hoping to find his radio hero. Roy Rogers, to help him locate and return his horses. Gabby Hayes happens by, and gives him a ride, telling him where Roy probably is. Soon, they pass 3 horsemen. Bobby recognizes one as one of the rustlers, so Gabby stops. Bobby gets out and shouts at the man, then tries to hit him, but his fists are too weak to do any damage. The man rides off, dragging Bobby, who still clings. Bobby is somewhat injured and falls to the ground. Fortunately, Roy and friends happen along soon after, and tend to Bobby.........Rancher Wooster, and Gus Jordan: owner of the Lariat Lodge dude ranch, are actually the slick bosses of the rustlers. Barbara Joyce, singer and hostess of the Lariat Lodge, is also in on signaling when the rustlers should strike, by her choice of songs on the radio.........Reports come in of more rustling activity in the region. Roy and friends ride around looking for suspects. Gabby catches rustler Pete, and brags about his prowess as a rustler catcher. Roy finds Wooster, and thinks him a rustler, but Wooster pleads that he was merely looking about for rustlers, like Roy. It's decided that Wooster will take rustler Pete in to the sheriff while Roy and gang continue to look for more rustlers. Roy sees Wooster and Pete from a distance, turning toward Jordan's place, rather than toward town. Roy and friends decide to follow them to Jordan's. After Wooster tells Jordan that he's quitting the rustler business, he and rustler Pete ride off, supposedly to town, but at a designated spot, Pete heads to a shack, to hide awhile. As they part, Pete shoots Wooster in the back. Roy and friends, who are trailing them, find Wooster's body. In their further wanderings, Roy and friends find truck tire tracts, and guess trucks are being used to carry the horses to a buyer. Later, Roy and friends find the several trucks. But Jordan has somehow arranged for the Sheriff and posse to find them there, and assume they are the rustlers! They are taken to jail, but breakout when they trick the jailer with his musical saw. They ride to where they saw the trucks, and see a number of men around, presumably getting ready to load horses. They also see Bobby, who has wandered there, trying to harm the rustlers. Bobby has been put on a horse, directed toward the arriving horse herd. The horse stops suddenly, throwing Bobby to the ground. Miraculously, Roy and friends arrive just then. and Roy bolts for Bobby, scooping him up just before the herd runs over that spot. Roy's friends, meanwhile, start shooting at the rustlers, and eventually subdue them, as the sheriff serendipitously arrives to see who the real rustlers are, and to haul the live ones to jail........Playing the song "Blue Prairies" on the radio is used by Jordan to signal when to go on a rustling assignment. Other songs of note include "In a Little Spanish Town", "My Little Buckaroo", the title song, and "Curly Joe, from Idaho". The latter was sung while Roy, Gabby, and the Sons of the Pioneers were in jail, with Pat taking the lead..........I didn't find this film of particular distinction. There were quite a few instances of highly unlikely coincidences. Also, I thought Bobby consumed too much of the on camera time for his minor role. I understand that Bobby was included to help kids identify with the film.