Melody Ranch

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".

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.

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.

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.

"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.