Review of "The Old Corral" movie starring Gene Autry and Roy Rogers

Review of

The Old Corral movie starring Gene Autry and Roy Rogers


Three out of five stars

 When you see from the box that this movie stars Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, it is immediately clear that there will be a lot of singing. The Sons of the Pioneers are also featured, increasing the amount of crooning that is done. There is some gunplay and swinging of fists, but not a great deal and all rather weakly executed. Gene Autry plays the Sheriff and, in a role out of character for him, Roy Rogers plays a villain, although not the main or worst one.

 The plot is pretty weak, a female singer is a witness to a gangland killing in the city and flees the area, going out west by bus. There she is befriended by a man that recognizes her and wants to make a deal with the mob boss searching for her. There is also a romantic flame kindled with Sheriff Autry, one of the feeders of that flame is their singing together.

 The purpose of the western environment is to provide the context for most of the songs performed by the characters. The Sons of the Pioneers are in jail, so they sing lamenting songs, Autry and Rogers burst out themes related to the west.

 Most modern viewers will find the western where the main characters do more singing than fighting rather incongruous. Yet, Autry, Rogers and others made their careers by doing just that and the public enjoyed it. Autry made enough wealth to buy a major league baseball team. With the high level of graphics and the demand for intense visual action, it is unlikely that something like the singing cowboy will ever be viable again.