Roll on Texas Moon (1946)

U.K. release title: TRANSCONTINENT EXPRESS. SYNOPSIS: The construction engineer of the Rock Island Railroad pushes the line west across the Mississippi in spite of financial complications, a treacherous steamboat tycoon, and hostile Indians. - Copyright Summary.NOTES: Dedicated to the men and women who devoted their lives to developing and perfecting the railroads of the U.S.A. The locomotives and period equipment used in the movie were loaned by Rock Island Lines, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the Railroad and Locomotive Historical Society. Location scenes filmed in Oklahoma. COMMENT: Routine western made more palatable by a screenplay that has a slight but genuine leavening of wit. And any film with Bruce Cabot as the villain is necessarily one worth seeing. Bruce and Bruce's double have some fine fights with Tucker and Tucker's double, beginning with an outlandish duel with mops dipped in boiling soup. Unfortunately their climactic confrontation is disappointing. Though there's plenty of action at the climax, the script provides a thumbs down cop-out for the romantic triangle. Miss Mara is an uninteresting heroine anyway. Still, the support cast is loaded with familiar figures including Dick Elliott as a train conductor, Olin Howland as a barman with a bucket of water, James Flavin as a grumbling track-layer. The Jeff Corey episode is alone worth seeing the film. If only Kane's direction were not so flat and scrupulously uninteresting, if only Republic's production values (despite the use of actual locations and a real railroad and clever miniatures) were a little higher and relied less on such obvious cost-saving devices as phony backdrops and cycloramas and day for night photography. Even the color tends to be flat and uninteresting despite its warm brown hues and blue cloudy skies. Grant Withers is miscast as Mara's financier father, Chill Wills has his usual serio-comic role (nice scene with Jack Pennick as an eager trooper). Yes, the film has all the makings, including plenty of action, but doesn't quite make the higher grade.OTHER VIEWS: The script plays like a John Wayne/Vera Ralston/Albert Dekker reject that has been farmed out to Republic's second-stringers. Even in its boring triangle with Adrian Booth half-heartedly giving the charmless Adele Mara a run for the surly affections of frozen-faced Forrest Tucker, the movie is strictly a black and white affair: stolid hero, loyal comic sidekick, frilly girl, deep-dyed villain. The fights between hero and heavy form the best part of the action, culminating in a fair, if familiar, action climax. Whilst the color is variable and the direction totally dull, production values indicate a fair-sized budget. Vintage train buffs will enjoy the movie. So will fans of the Lydecker Brothers' realistic miniatures. - JHR writing as George Addson.

Roy Rogers (as Roy Rogers) has to mediate a "war" between the Sheep Herders and the Cattle Ranchers. George "Gabby" Hayes (as Gabby) is followed around by a Little Lamb. Dale Evans (as Jill) needs saving. Bob Nolan and the "Sons of the Pioneers" are around. After a promising, scenic opening, with Elisabeth Risdon effective (as Kate), the film falls apart… while the camera follows the Little Lamb… who is following Gabby... The title song is sung to the Lamb. The film includes Lamb Songs and a Mexican Jumping Bean Song. The highlight is when Evans' out-of-control car plunges into a river; after Rogers fishes her out, the duo sweetly sing "Be a Friend of Mine". ** Roll on Texas Moon (1946) William Witney ~ Roy Rogers, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Dale Evans

Using the age old conflict between cattle ranchers and sheepherders this film shines as one of my top five favorite Roy Rogers films. Dale Evans and George "Gabby" Hayes along with the Son's of the Pioneers join Roy. Another uncredited star in this film is a little lamb with a bow around it's neck and the pet of Dale's character. The first time the lamb sees cattleman Gabby, it falls in love with him. Much to his dismay it chases after him and the scenes of these two together are hilarious. Try to see the uncut version. Any Rogers film that is 55 minutes long has been cut! Hope you enjoy it as much as our family does!

Roll on Texas Moon employs many of the standard plot devices of the popular B Western to wring out plenty of action and humor in the course of its brief running time. Paragon of truth, honor and virtue Roy Rogers finds himself smack dab in the middle of a turf war between the regional cattle ranchers and sheep herders (the social implications of which are occasionally fascinating to ponder) which has been manufactured by a secret evil-doer trying to gain control of a major ranch. Roy's invaluable sidekick, the legendary Gabby Hayes, proves indispensable to the film: not only is he accused of murder, he also provides the comic relief, as an adorable lost lamb develops a fixation and dependence on Gabby that the grizzled cattleman desperately tries to hide from his pals. Dale Evans, playing Jill Delaney, is a well-meaning and good-hearted sheep rancher who, like Roy, does not want the bitter dispute to tear apart the community. Before all the secrets can come to light and reveal the true villain, the audience is treated to a rousing set piece in which Jill's out of control, sabotaged auto goes careening off a steep embankment. If you think Roy is able to save her from certain doom, well... you better see Roll on Texas Moon and find out.