Hate to tell you folks, but it's that time again! I've just started watching the DVD collections of Gene Autry and Roy Rogers films, so you'll have to suffer my reviews over the next few weeks.
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Boots and Saddles (1937) Gene Autry managers a ranch for its owner, a British nobleman. When his Lordship passes away the land is bequeathed to his only son, Edward (played by Ronald Sinclair, who gave up acting to become a film editor), who is only about 12 or 13 yrs old. Arriving in America the young lord is ready to sell his father’s ranch, until Gene convinces him that it would be better to preserve his father’s estate by selling horses to the Army, thereby paying off any debts. Not one of Autry’s best films, but he certainly did lesser fare in his long career in the saddle.

As a kid I usually preferred non-singing cowboys, but Autry (like Roy Rogers) always seemed to be on the air, so I grew fond of both. Personally, Autry always struck me as a singer who learned how to ride a horse, but never seemed a ‘real’ cowboy and he never really convinced me that he was even comfortable out on the range. Still I find that I enjoy his films when I get a chance to view them. With their action and humor it’s easy to see how kids, and even adults, would warm to the star and his films.

Of note here is Bill Elliot (listed as “Gordon Elliot” in the credits) in a small role. Elliot went on to play first “Wild Bill Saunders”, then “Wild Bill Hickok” and eventually “Wild Bill Elliot” in several western series during the 1940s into the mid-1950s. Gene’s sidekick in this film (as in dozens of others) is Smiley Burnette, who teamed up first with Gene and later Charles Starrett in the ‘Durango Kid’ series.

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I've already started watching the first of four Roy Roger's films, but don't want to cover that until finish.