Dude Ranch (1931)

Chester Carr, owner of a dude ranch in the Rockies, caters to guests seeking the thrill of the Wild West. Among his guests are the wealthy Spruce Meadows and his daughter Susan. But the ... See full summary »

Director:

Frank Tuttle

Writers:

Milton Krims (story), Percy Heath (adaptation)

Stars:

Jack Oakie, Stuart Erwin, Eugene Pallette

Cast

Cast overview:
Jack Oakie	...	Jennifer / Vance Kilroy
Stuart Erwin	...	Chester Carr
Eugene Pallette	...	Judd / Black Jed
Mitzi Green	...	Alice Merridew
June Collyer	...	Susan Meadows
Charles Sellon	...	Spruce Meadows
Cecil Weston	...	Mrs. Merridew
George Webb	...	Burson
Guy Oliver	...	Simonson
James Crane	...	Blaze Denton

Storyline

Chester Carr, owner of a dude ranch in the Rockies, caters to guests seeking the thrill of the Wild West. Among his guests are the wealthy Spruce Meadows and his daughter Susan. But the West isn't wild anymore and most of Carr's guests are bored and about to leave. He is in despair when a caravan carrying a broke-down-and-out troupe of actors---Jennifer, Judd, Mrs. Merridew and her daughter, Alice---crashes down the hill and wrecks the hotel sign. Carr offers to board and lodge them free for a week if they can provide enough excitement to keep Meadows and the other guest from leaving. The actors agree. They have the properties and costumes for a Western melodrama,"Vance Kilroy's Revenge", which they proceed to adapt real-life for the occasion. That evening a woman (Mrs. Merridew) rushes into the hotel lounge with her little daughter (Alice), begging to be saved from the whip of her brutal husband Black Jud (Judd). He comes after them with a whip but the heroic Vance Kilroy (Jenifer) ...

---

Plot Keywords:

hotel | whip | sheriff | gang | bank | 

---

Taglines:

"Quite the funniest and brainiest satire of American cowboy Wild West stuff I have ever seen" (London Sunday Times Critic - Original UK poster)

---

Genres:

Comedy | Western

---

Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 May 1931 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Round-Up

Filming Locations:

Paramount Ranch - 2813 Cornell Road, Agoura, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

71 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Richard 'Skeets' Gallagher and Frances Dee were replaced before shooting began with Jack Oakie and June Collyer.

---

Soundtracks

Consolation
Music by Richard A. Whiting
Lyrics by Leo Robin

User Reviews

Tries Too Hard

Stu Erwin is the manager of a financially strapped Dude Ranch. Jack Oakie's acting troupe happens by, and they are in the same predicament. They agree to work for food, and stage a drama which is meant to be a real life drama for the clientele, who are bored due to lack of excitement. As the phony drama unfolds, the guests are spellbound and decide to stay for a while longer. At the same time a group of gangsters checks in. They are planning to rob a local bank but try to blend in with the guests.

Predictable hi-jinks ensue, all too tiresome to recount. The movie tries too hard to please, and so does Jack Oakie. The result is a painful comedy which is mercifully short at 71 minutes - but seems longer. It is staggering to see both Mankeiwicz brothers listed as writers for this picture. At best it is a harmless way to spend one's time, and it has its moments. A young June Collyer is the female lead and resembles Mary Astor. Played at Capitolfest, Rome, N.Y., 8/12/16.