Valley of Fire (1951)

Mayor Autry sends for a wagon train of women to settle in his town, but baddies Guilford and Rawlings plot to hijack the train and sell the ladies to love-hungry miners instead.

Director:

John English

Writers:

Gerald Geraghty, Earle Snell (story)

Stars:

Gene Autry, Champion, Gail Davis

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gene Autry	...	Marshal Gene Autry
Champion	...	Champ (as Champion World's Wonder Horse)
Gail Davis	...	Laurie
Russell Hayden	...	Steve Guilford
Christine Larson	...	Bee Laverne
Harry Lauter	...	Tod Rawlings
Terry Frost	...	Grady McKean
Barbara Stanley	...	Gail, Laurie's friend
Teddy Infuhr	...	Virgil
Margie Liszt	...	Widow Blanche, Virgil's Mother (as Marjorie Liszt)
Pat Buttram	...	Breezie

Storyline

Cattleman Gene Autry (Gene Autry) is elected mayor of Quartz City, a roaring California gold camp in 1859, and he and his pal, Marshal Breezie Larrabee (Pat Buttram), set out to tame and clean up the town. They start by ousting crooked Tod Rawlings (Harry Lauter) and his gambling hall hostess Bee Laverne (Christine Larson). Gene beats back an attempt by Rawlings to kidnap an incoming caravan of women whose presence in the town will hasten the progress of law and order. One of the arrives, Laurie (Gail Davis), is attracted to Steve Kincaid (Russell Hayden), a con-man working for Rawlings, but she turns against him when she learns of the association. The Rawlings gang makes a last-ditch effort to take over the town.

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Plot Keywords:

cowboy in tight pants | bride and groom | husband wife relationship | damsel in distress | mail order bride | 

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Taglines:

GENE'S BACK IN THE SADDLE - AND UP TO HIS STIRRUPS IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BUCH OF DEPUTIES CHAMPION EVER CHAPERONED! (original print ad-all caps)

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Genres:

Action | Music | Western

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 November 1951 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gene Autry Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When the outlaws from Indian Gulch invade Crystal Creek to steal the women (again), one of the rounded-up outlaws is still carrying his rifle, with hands upraised, as they're walked to the jail.

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Quotes

Breezie Larrabee: Gold! A pure nugget as big as your eyeball. It's a bonanza! I've hit paydirt. Maybe the mother-in-law lode.

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Soundtracks

Here's To The Ladies
Sung by Gene Autry

User Reviews

Hijacking the Women

Thank goodness for the Alabama Hills. Those Neolithic rocks with the high Sierras in the background have always added a lot to the most unexceptional oater, including this pretty good one. Okay, gold hijacks have been a standard feature of westerns for decades, but here it's wagon loads of women that sort of get hijacked. And from the looks of the cuties on board, I'd hijack them too. No need to detail more of the plot, which others have already done.

Generally, it's an unexceptional Autry programmer, though well stocked with extras (Columbia studios, I bet) along with an entertaining mix of action, humor (Buttram & Infuhr), and song. I especially liked "On Top of Old Smoky", which Gene gives his most pleasing croon. Then too, I've blown out enough candles to recall when it was a popular mega-hit on the radio. Good thing too that Gene was able to get director English who had proved he knows how to put the cowboy elements together. Anyhow, it may not be Gene's best, but fans certainly won't be disappointed.