Bells of Rosarita (1945) User Reviews

To Be The Cowboy Hero He Is In the Movies

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 8 June 2011]

In Bells Of Rosarita Roy Rogers steps out of any character and simply plays himself, Roy Rogers singing cowboy movie star. He's asked by Dale Evans who is playing a character to help save her circus and her ranch which the circus uses as headquarters from the clutches of the evil Grant Withers.

It's not a request directly from Dale. Rather it comes from the kids who make up the Robert Mitchell Boys Choir who love the circus and love the Roy Rogers films. What they want him to do is be the cowboy hero in real life that he is on the screen. Whatever else he was, Roy does feel an obligation to his public.

In a move worthy of a Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland film, Roy offers his services and that of fellow Republic cowboy heroes, Wild Bill Elliott, Allan Lane, Don Barry, Bob Livingston, and Sunset Carson for a show. The climax involves a robbery and a chase and these guys all form a posse with Roy. Would any gang of outlaws stand a chance with this posse?

The film also has a bit of humor with Roy remarking at one point after shooting off a tin chimney from a cabin where the outlaws are held up that he did that in a film once. And two of the others remark that in the final shootout that the blanks in their western guns aren't going to cut it. That was refreshing that these guys didn't take this all that seriously. Gave something for the adults in the audience to enjoy besides Dale Evans and her sidekick Adele Mara.

Bells Of Rosarita was a good one from Republic with Roy aided and abetted by the best posse any cowboy hero ever had. As Gabby Hayes would remark, 'you're durn tootin'.

Another harmless but clever oater from Republic

[RickyofL-1 · 5/10 · 15 August 2006]

Janet Martin who is listed in the supporting cast credits, has no lines and appears in only one short scene in the film Bells of Rosarita shot within the film we are watching. She played the lovely bride in the marriage scene and though she had no dialogue sang beautifully while riding off from the wedding celebration. Roy Rogers enters the scene and carries her off while riding on his horse. Miss Martin, played Mexican girls in several films though she was actually of Russian descent. Adele Mara, who was also in one of the lead roles was of Mexican descent, but rarely if ever played a Mexican seniorita. Both, played polynesians in their roles in the film "Call of the South Seas."

I like how Trigger received billing higher than Gabby Hayes or Dale Evans in this one!

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 16 March 2020]

In many of Roy Rogers' pictures, he plays characters named Roy or even Roy Rogers. In "Bells of Rosarita", however, he plays a fictional version of the movie cowboy star! Sounds confusing? I'll try to explain:

When the film starts, Gabby (Gabby Hayes...but he's NOT playing Gabby Hayes the actor...just a guy named Gabby) and Sue (Dale Evans) meet up and head west to Hollywood. On the way, they wander into the middle of the filming of a Roy Rogers film and they soon make friends with the gosh-darned nice actor. However, a jerk is trying to steal out the circus from underneath a nice lady. Roy responds by calling the other B-western stars from Republic Studios and they plan on putting on a charity event to help her.

It is a bit strange to see Roy playing an idealized version of the actor, Roy Rogers...and Dale and Gabby NOT playing themselves! Odd...but also interesting and fun...like most Rogers' films. And, while not among his best, it's quite good and great for his fans.

Good Roy Rogers Feature

[Snow Leopard · 23 July 2001]

This is a very good Roy Rogers feature, perhaps among the best of his many B-Westerns. It is, as usual, primarily light entertainment, with a lot of humor and music, and this time there is some clever irony deriving from the setting - Roy plays himself, acting in a cowboy feature and at the same time getting involved in a situation that in some respects parallels his film. Dale Evans and Gabby Hayes complete the picture, and there are short appearances by several other Western stars of the era.

The story starts with Dale and Gabby heading west to try to save a circus that belonged to the father of Dale's character, while the unscrupulous Ripley (Grant Withers) has plans to take it over himself by any means necessary. As soon as Dale and Gabby arrive, they find themselves mixed up in a scene from the movie (whose title is also "Bells of Rosarita") that Roy and Bob Nolan are shooting. It's a funny scene, and cleverly done, and it sets up the story that follows as well as establishing the connection between film and reality. Most of the actual plot is not to be taken too seriously - the villains are, as usual, pretty incompetent - but it has a very pleasant tone, and a pretty good variety of action and entertainment.

This is very good for a B-Western, and certainly recommended for any fan of Roy Rogers or for those who like Westerns of the era.

"Hey Roy, this is just like one of your movies!"

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 25 May 2021]

This plays as much a musical as it does a Roy Rogers Western. The Robert Mitchell Boys Choir chimes in on at least four songs, while Roy and Dale also get to sing a couple of numbers. There are a lot of self references in the story, the main one being that as part of the picture, it's mentioned that Roy, playing himself, is filming a movie with the title "Bells of Rosarita". In a gun battle with some villains at a cabin, Roy shoots a chimney off the roof stating that he did that once in one of his movies, while my summary line comes near the end of the picture by one of his Republic cowboy buddies, of which there are a handful. Wild Bill Elliott, Sunset Carson, Rocky Lane, Don Barry and Robert Livingston all make appearances in the story to help Roy track down the no good varmint who's trying to steal Sue Farnum's (Dale Evans) inherited circus out from under her grasp. What's a little odd is that Roy's sidekick and leader of the musical group Sons of the Pioneers, Bob Nolan, mentions that he's allergic to horses a couple of times. Considering there were horses all around, Nolan didn't sneeze or have watery eyes, so why that was thrown into the story line is anybody's guess. As one might expect for a Rogers flick, Gabby Hayes is on hand with possibly the picture's best and funniest gimmick. When Roy plans a large parade through town to promote a circus fundraiser for Sue Farnum, he's met with opposition by the sheriff (Ed Cassidy) who states there's an ordinance against it. Quick thinking Gabby comes up with a clever solution, having the parade masquerade as a funeral procession to get around the law! This is a fun Western that doesn't take itself too seriously, as all the players appear to be having a good time. Except the baddies of course, which is par for the course in a Roy Rogers Western.

Musical Interludes Replace Plot Design In Giddy Affair.

[rsoonsa · 5/10 · 28 January 2007]

Here is a pacey work that employs standard elements to be found in Republic Pictures' contemporary Western films starring Roy Rogers, including the familiar plot artifice of shooting a movie within another, cowboys on horseback chasing motor vehicles bearing villains, musical interludes that interrupt the action at random, et alia, with an additional device utilized herein: "cameos" from cowpoke stars under contract with Republic: Wild Bill Elliott, Robert Livingston, Allan Lane, Don "Red" Barry, and Sunset Carson. Sue Farnum (Dale Evans) has been willed her father's traveling circus but his erstwhile partner Bill Ripley (Grant Withers) intends to take it from her as she cannot locate a receipt confirming that her sire had repaid a loan enabling him to gain title to the big top company, and when she and her employee and friend Gabby Whittaker (Gabby Hayes) accept aid from her dad's pal Slim Phillips (Addison Richards), the three, along with Slim's daughter and troupe entertainer Patty (Adele Mara), entrain to the southern California fictional town of Cabrillo wherein Slim believes he will locate the missing receipt, thereby ending Sue's plight. The Forces of Evil soon kidnap Slim but subsequent events are but ill-explained by a slapdash screenplay that accords space for eight musical numbers (not counting repeats) and while Rogers plainly is tasked, as is his wont, with rescuing a city-bred damsel in distress, he is equally motivated by a primal need to burst into song, a predilection shared with, among others, Evans, Mara, Janis Martin, and the baritone Bob Nolan-led Sons of the Pioneers. This lower case effort benefits from a panoply of Republic casting roster supporting players from whom, despite the film's following the accepted trend of Rogers "B" Westerns, a number of telling performances will be enjoyed from uncredited actors (including dancing girls!); Hayes reprises his wearisome shtick that he displays in each of his movies, even to the phrases, but Evans has a clamp on the acting laurels with a vivacious turn, while able editing supervised by Arthur Roberts makes for a snappily moving although somewhat goofy picture.

All's ducky, in this mad circus

[weezeralfalfa · 5/10 · 30 April 2019]

The title song is sung twice:: near the beginning, as the bells of a church (Rosarita?) ring, and, again, at the end, when all join in singing. I'm a bit confused about the first time. After the bells ring, The Robert Mitchell Choir sings, followed by Roy. Then a young woman, dressed in white, as a bride might, emerges from the church gets in an open carriage, rides a short while, then stops, and sings a little of the song, when Roy comes along on Trigger, scoops her up on Trigger, and rides away, as if he is her groom, taking her home. I strongly suspect that young woman is Janet Martin, who plays a character called Rosarita, and is only seen in this scene. I'm not sure if she is merely pretending to be a historical figure called Rosarita, after which the church was named. This scene is actually part of a movie shoot, the film being called "Bells of Rosarita"! .....The plot is quite simple: Dale Evans, as Sue Furnum, has inherited a circus and ranch from her father. But, Bill Ripley claims her father borrowed a large amount money from him and never repaid. Now, he wants the circus and the ranch in compensation. However, her father's partner in the circus business, Slim Phillips, claims that her father did repay the loan. But, they need to find the receipt to prove that he did repay. Slim suspects it's in their safe deposit box. It should be a simple matter of checking. However, Slim is kidnapped before he can get to the bank. The presumption is that Ripley is behind this, but he has disappeared with Slim. So, Roy and aids go riding around looking for them. Finally, they find Ripley's hideout, and a gun battle ensues. It ends when Roy supposedly shoots the top off the stove pipe (what?!), which somehow supposedly clogs the pipe so that the smoke fills the cabin, causing all inside to exit with their hands raised. One would think that the 2 baddies(Ripley and his aid Maxwell) would be charged with kidnapping and put in jail. But, NO!, next we see them in an office planning how to get to the safe deposit box before Slim does! That evening, while everyone is at the circus, they break into the bank, and dynamite the vault, notifying everyone that they are there. Supposedly, they then search for and find Slim's box(?), presumably shoot the lock off, grab the contents, and dash to their car, before an authority arrives!? A chase ensues involving a bunch of horsemen chasing their car. Eventually, they run out of gas from a bullet in the gas tank, a gun battle occurs, followed by a series of fisticuffs. Roy finds the receipt in the pocket of the knocked out Ripley, and the sheriff arrives. If the bandits had some smarts, they would have torn the receipt into little pieces and scattered them outside, as they drove along. Roy and all return to the circus, where Roy, and some other Republic cowboy heroes gather, and have the horses rear up when they are announced..........A humorous event occurs when Ripley reminds the sheriff that there is a town ordinance against allowing circus parades within the town. The sheriff reminds Roy, but he claims they are not a circus, but a funeral procession! So, who died? The pet duck of one of the Sons of the Pioneers. Amazingly, the circus gets away with this!..........There are numerous songs sung along the way, either by the boy's choir, the Sons of the Pioneers, Roy , Dale, or all together. Incidentally, the boys are cast as orphans, who live and work on Dale's ranch.

All the B Western Cowboys together!

[revran · 10/10 · 24 February 2006]

This Roy Rogers film has everything we love about the genre. Co-starring Trigger, Gabby Hayes, Dale Evans, Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers. It carries the bonus of guest appearances of Wild Bill Elliott, Allan Lane, Don 'Red' Barry, Robert Livingston and Sunset Carson. The action with the good guys riding after the bad guys and realizing they are firing blanks is a great touch. The Robert Mitchell Boys Choir is terrific and blend their voices with Roy! You will really enjoy the scene featuring the rodeo/circus parade which Sheriff has said is not allowed. Our family rates this one in the top five of Roy's films. Hope you enjoy it too! Happy Trails! -Revran

Among Roy's Best

[Mike-764 · 10/10 · 16 July 2007]

Sue Farnum is in danger of losing her recently inherited circus, so she has a friend Slim Philips come out west with her (along w/ his daughter Patty) to see what can be done. While out west, the group encounters Roy filming his latest movie, and when Roy discovers the plight of Sue, he helps by staging a circus show w/ Republic's biggest B western names (Bill Elliott, Allan Lane, Sunset Carson, Don Barry, and Robert Livingston. John Wayne was out of town). The biggest obstacle is Ripley, Farnum's partner in the circus, who is trying to claim the circus as his own by trying to destroy a receipt that Farnum paid off his share of the circus, even kidnapping Philips to get it. Roy and the gang go to save the day before the show must get on. This B western has everything a fan can want from the genre: Action, Thrills, Humor, Singing, and done so well. Every performer is at the top of their game and it shows, as well as script, directing, and score. Favorite moments for me are the "funeral procession" as well as Roy Barcroft commenting on the crooks hanging around. Rating, based on B westerns, 10.

don barry/helen talbot in scene together

[frontrowkid2002 · 3 June 2006]

In one scene, Don "Red" Barry is called to the phone during the shooting of one of his films. This is evidently a modern day film since he is dressed in 1940's attire, not western clothes. As he leaves the movie set to answer the phone off stage, look at the actress who has been in the scene with him. Her hair is done up in a fashionable upsweep and she is wearing a long designer gown. This is Helen Talbot who appeared in some of Barry's films. Since she was a contract actress, Republic put her in films just as "set decoration." Although this film was shot about the time of THE CHICAGO KID, in which Barry co-starred with Lynne Roberts, the "movie scene" was not part of the film and was included just to give the flavor of behind-the-scenes at Republic.

a good vehicle to join some of the top cowboys together

[daviddaphneredding · 10/10 · 6 April 2015]

This Republic Pictures production has been a favorite of mine since I've seen it on a DVD for the less few years. Not only did I like seeing Roy Rogers and the appealing Dale Evans together, but I did like seeing Gabby Hayes, who was likable and garrulous as always. Too, it was good seeing Bob Livingston, Don "Red" Barry, Sunset Carson, and two of my favorites-Allan Lane and Bill Elliott. What brought about a lot of joy as well was hearing Bob Nolan and the Sons of The Pioneers. Roy Barcroft must have been born as mean as mean could be, since he played very aptly a scheming crook, as he did in many westerns. It was comical in places, even though it was not actually a comedy, per se.(Naturally, Gabby Hayes contributed to that comic relief.) I did like the excitement in it as well. The story is simple: Sue Farnum (played by Evans) comes from the East to Hollywood after she learns that her late father's circus, and the orphanage he had once had built, might go under because a necessary document cannot be found. Will a show with, again, some of the top cowboys in Hollywood save the circus? That is basically the storyline. Again, it's very exciting and entertaining, and one of my favorite B-rated westerns. Yes, it made for a wonderful cowboy reunion.

Roy Rogers at his best!

[JohnHowardReid · 8/10 · 27 April 2018]

Copyright 13 May 1945 by Republic Pictures Corp. Presented by Republic Pictures on behalf of Republic Productions, Inc. Executive producer: Herbert J. Yates. No New York opening. U.S. release: 19 June 1945. U.K. release through British Lion: December 1945. Australian release through British Empire Films: 6 March 1947. Lengths: 7 reels, 68 minutes (U.S.); 55 minutes (U.K.); 6,417 feet, 71 minutes (Australia).

SYNOPSIS: Roy Rogers saves a circus from an unscrupulous mortgagor.

COMMENT: Rogers' best film and one of the high points of Republic "B" production in the 40s - all this despite a large number of flaws:

Firstly, the basic premise of the plot is impossibly silly and old-hat. True, it's often a convenient peg for the songs and other antics, but it's just so ridiculous it deserved to be sent up instead of being played perfectly straight.

Our second problem is that the print under review has been duped from the U.K. release which is missing at least 13 minutes. Mind you, there are no gaps in the story. It's quite possible that the missing footage contained more songs (presumably at least one by Bob Nolan who doesn't sing a note in this version. All he does is look amiably/jealously on while Roy does all warbling) and yet more comedy relief from that tiresomely loud-mouthed, aptly-named windbag, "Gabby" Hayes.

Now let's get to the high points. First, just look at that cast! Yes, it's great to see all Republic's western stars except John Wayne (the script explains he is away on location) in the one film - and some of them cleverly introduced in studio scenes too. I'm sure all of us are enthusiasts for movies about movie-making - and oddly enough this is one of the best, for in Bells of Rosarita's most interesting scenes, Frank McDonald and his technicians play themselves. McDonald has a large, speaking part, but we also get a good look at photographer Ernest Miller acting as his own clapper-boy, and assistant director John Grubbs calling the crew to order.

In order to build up his importance, McDonald is shown directing the extremely elaborate title number with Rogers, Nolan, the Mitchell Choir, the entrancing Janet Martin and a huge crowd of colorful extras. The brilliant way this sequence is shot and edited is absolutely breathtaking. Allied with the most attractive song, it becomes one of the most memorable movie moments in the entire history of the "B" western. This sequence is so perfect, we ran it over and over - at least seven times - at our screening and were constantly amazed at the precision and skill of the film editing. (Yet Roberts isn't even listed in the standard book The Motion Picture Film Editor by René L. Ash, published by The Scarecrow Press, Metuchen, N.J., 1974).

Earlier in the film, McDonald is shown directing a vigorous action sequence complete with running inserts and daredevil stunts. The climax is also handled from the camera truck (which we actually see in the first episode), though disfigured by a few obvious studio inserts. Nice to see Bob Wilke as a deputy sheriff, though he has no dialogue.

Aside from the too-garrulous Hayes, the players acquit themselves nobly. Mr Slye is in excellent voice and manages to hold his own with the Mitchell Choir. Miss Evans is an agreeable straight shooter too, while Adele Mara makes a surprisingly sprightly second-heroine. Even "Shug" Fisher has an important role.

In addition, there's a delightfully high-stepping chorus line. The songs themselves are so attractive, it's a mystery to us the sound track has never been released - not even on a bootleg label. Maybe this good write-up will start a trend.

Good Rogers Vehicle

[Michael_Elliott · 19 April 2012]

Bells of Rosarita (1945)

*** (out of 4)

A rather original Western has Roy Rogers and Republic Pictures in a small town filming a movie when he gets involved with a young woman (Dale Evans) who is about to lose her property due to a bad debt of her dead father. It turns out that the father actually paid the debt but there's just no proof so Roy comes to the rescue with a bunch of other Republic cowboys (Don Berry, Bill Elliott, Bob Livingston, Sunset Carson, Allan Lane). Say what you want about the "B" Westerns but I think even the most jaded people would have to give this film credit for at least being original and fun. The entire set-up of the movie production added a real twist to an already familiar story and it took this movie to a new level. Had the film simply told the story of a pretty girl being cheated out of her land then that's really nothing new. Added to the story of a movie studio and real actors coming to the rescue was a neat little trick and really sealed the deal. I thought there were some funny moments where the film takes shots at movies, cowboy stars and that type of thing and we even get a funny joke aimed at John Wayne. As you'd expect, Rogers fits his role just fine and comes across very charming during the more tender scenes but also a real action star during the fights. He gets to sing several tunes including the title track, the catchy "I'm Going to Build a Big Fence Around Texas," and a highly entertaining sequence when we get "When the Circus Comes to Town." Evans, as usual, makes for a good lead lady and we get some nice support from the one and only Gabby Hayes. The other Republic cowboy stars just make cameos but it's nice seeing everyone together and it certainly adds to the film. BELLS OF ROSARITA isn't a John Ford masterpiece but it's quite fun with a good story, fun songs and some nice action.

My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys

[boblipton · 8/10 · 25 July 2023]

Dale Evans and her late father's longtime friend Gabby Hayes come to see Addison Richards at his ten-in-one. Grant Withers is claiming an unpaid debt to seize all the estate's property, but Richards remembers it being paid just before he sold his share of her father's show to him. The receipt would be in the safety deposit box the two of them kept at the bank. So they all head out to California and the family ranch, where the circus is being stored, as well as the orphaned children of circus performers. Republic Pictures is shooting a Roy Rogers western on the ranch, and it's called Bells of Rosarita. When Richards is kidnapped before he can get to the bank box, Roy sees the chance to play a cowboy hero in real life, so he calls up Republic's other western stars -- Bob Nolan being allergic to horses -- and....

The music is good, if not as good as in other Rogers vehicles, but it doesn't matter, with the reality-bending jokes and general good humor. Director Frank MacDonald may not have been Republic's best western director, but he was a pretty comedy one for handling comedy, and there's plenty of that here. With Adele Mara, the Robert Mitchell Boy's Choir, AND Bill Elliott, Alan Lane, Robert Livingston, and Sunset Carson.