In Old Monterey (1939)

Talk about dated, if a picture like In Old Monterey ever were made today with the plot premise it had it would be picketed and hooted off the screen. It was only in 1939 with war clouds gathering over Europe that the ideas put forth here could be advanced.Gene Autry plays an army sergeant who goes on detached duty to do of all things persuade several ranchers to give up their lands held as Gabby Hayes says by several generations over to the army for their military war games, specifically those of the Army Air Corps. Of course in this mix are a pair of villains looking to exploit the situation for their own nefarious ends.We are told that there are no other suitable lands available to which I say that is so much cattle waste product.And in a burst of patriotic fervor Gene actually talks these people into it. I was staggered to say the least.In the true tradition of B westerns the film has absolutely nothing to do with Monterey or old Mexico other It Happened In Monterey is among the songs that Autry sings in the film. The audacity of this message for today's audience is unbelievable.

With all due respect to the memory of Gene Autry, this might be the dumbest movie he ever made, at least among the dozen plus or so I've been able to watch and review over the past year on the Encore Western Channel. Gene is alternately cast as a hero and a villain as he attempts to persuade the ranchers of Colby Basin to sell their land to the government for military maneuvers. The most intriguing part of the movie was Gene's rousing speech to the town hall gathering where he described the scenes of destruction of World War II in the Far East and Europe, already under way in 1939. A majority of the country felt isolationist at the time, and I found it interesting that Republic Pictures in their own way were preparing the audience for America's eventual involvement in the War. In fact, by the end of Gene's speech, it seemed almost inevitable.Patriotism aside though, the story itself is a bit of a mess. It probably would have been enough to keep the story focused on the Army versus the ranchers, but another element was added with the crooked owner of the Atlas Borax Company. He kept the ranchers riled up so the Army would feel compelled to offer a higher price for their properties, just so he could profit as well. I was surprised actually, that his sabotage wound up killing Gene's young pal Jimmy (Billy Lee), for which Gene had to bear the brunt of the blame at the time. That seemed to go a bit far in pursuit of the story.As in most of Gene Autry's pictures, Smiley Burnette's on hand as Frog Millhouse, but the added bonus here was the presence of Gabby Hayes as the leader of the ranchers. Gabby's speech is punctuated with all the 'consarns' and 'galdurns' you'd expect, as he manufactures a personal record of military service covering seven wars and associated heroics.If all of that weren't enough, the picture packs enough songs into it's hour plus run time to almost be considered a musical. Gene is alternately joined or replaced by Smiley, the Hoosier Hot Shots and The Ranch Boys in a whole host of musical interludes. Gene himself chimes in with 'Tumbling Tumbleweeds', along with the title song, 'In Old Monterey'. That one had me scratching my head actually, since there was no connection to the film's title beyond that opening number; all the action took place in the town of Colby and Colby Basin.

This somewhat routine Gene Autry oater is worthwhile for several reasons. One, the fans get not only Smiley Burnette (Frog Millhouse) and his rather sophomoric humor but Gabby Hayes and his tall tales as well. Gabby starts out as a survivalist against the government, even firing his pistol at a passing US plane, but ends up a patriot thanks to Gene's intervention. Gabby tells those who will listen that he's fought in seven wars and explains several different times, each one involving a different legend of the Old West, how he won the medal he wears on his chest.Second, the fabulous Hoosier Hot Shots are part of the action and get to showcase their musical talents, with Frog joining in. The Hoosier Hot Shots were exceptional musicians who let music making become a fun activity. They were sort of a hillbilly version of Spike Jones' City Slickers, and had several hit records to their credit. Their leader, Hezzie (Paul Trietsch), played a souped-up washboard the likes of which you've never seen. There's one scene in particular where their antics foreshadow those of Jerry Lee Lewis. While performing on stage, they proceed to destroy their musical instruments. Frog even rips the keys from the piano and Hezzie gets hit over the head with the guitar.Third, there are several rousing action sequences including Gene atop Champion chasing down a speeding locomotive, Frog attempting to maneuver a runaway tank, and Gene shooting down an airplane with a rifle. The stunt work is marvelous. Even the few musical interludes fail to impede the excitement of the chases and fisticuffs.On the minus side, two hillbilly ladies from the Grand Ole Opry, Sarie and Sallie, make a lame attempt to be funny. Where is Minnie Pearl when we need her? Thankfully, this was their only film role.Another weakness is the length of the film, way too long. Even big budget B westerns worked better in a 50 to 60 minute time slot. Several subplots such as the one involving the boy Jimmy Whittaker could have been eliminated.Hitler's war had begun in Europe with his invasion of Poland, so much of the patriotism, including the singing of "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean," was topical and relevant. But today this part of the film seems quaint and distant, though still important from a historical perspective.

Fun, forgettable comedy actioner with Frog and Autry and the added bonus of the legendary Gabby Hayes to round off the comedy talent. Autry's sent on a special mission by the army to convince a town to give up its land so the army can run drills there. Yes, it's a war preparedness western, in which the ego-centered ethic of the West is turned on its head by Autry convincing Hayes and the other townsfolk to abandon their homes and livelihoods for the greater good. A few songs are sun (no outstanding material from Burnette). Not especially entertaining, but not particularly unpleasant.