The Yellow Rose of Texas (1944)

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Leonard Slye (Roy Rogers), Dale Evans (Betty Weston), Grant Withers (Lukas, the express agent), Harry Shannon (Sam Weston), George Cleveland (Captain Joe of "The Yellow Rose of Texas"), William Haade (Buster), Weldon Heyburn (Charlie Gorse), Hal Taliaferro (Ferguson), Tom London (Sheriff Allen), Dick Botiller (Indian Pete), Janet Martin (singer), Bob Wilke (deputy, "sucker move"), Emmett Vogan (John Ellis), Bob Nolan (himself), the Sons of the Pioneers (themselves).Director: Joseph KANE. Original screenplay: Jack Townley. Photography: Jack Marta. Film editor: Tony Martinelli. Art director: Fred A. Ritter. Set decorator: Charles Thompson. Music director: Morton Scott. Dance director: Larry Ceballos. Sound recording: Ted Borschell. Associate producer: Harry Grey. Executive producer: Herbert J. Yates.Copyright 2 May 1944 by Republic Pictures. No New York showcase. U.S. release: 24 June. Australian release through British Empire Films: 17 May 1945. 6,577 feet. 73 minutes. (Alpha DVD is the cut TV version). SYNOPSIS: Insurance investigator Roy Rogers sets out to clear a man who alleges he was framed for a payroll robbery five years before.COMMENT: What we have here is not so much a western but a darned good mystery thriller instead. There's a bit of action, including a slap- up ruckus in a local cafe, a chase after a runaway buckboard and an ambush in the hills. But the producers have also seen to it that musical tastes are likewise well catered for. Plus a welcome bit of comedy. In all, a solidly entertaining mixture of thrills and spills, songs and sleuths. Rogers is adequate enough, his performance considerably bolstered by William Haade who makes an admirable sidekick, and Dale Evans as the distraught heroine. In fact by "B" western standards, the support cast is unusually strong. Withers, Heyburn, Shannon and Taliaferro are especially convincing, whilst Bob Nolan is in great voice — as are the rest of his boys. Marta's moody cinematography is also a tremendous asset. Most of the picture is set at night, giving the plot just the right spooky atmosphere.Director Joseph Kane, anxious to impress the Republic brass that he was capable of handling more prestigious product (this turned out to be his second last with Rogers), has handled proceedings with remarkable finesse — and even on a couple of occasions, style.

This Roy Rogers western features Dale Evans and Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers. Roy is an insurance investigator. The musical numbers are very good with some very catchy songs. Roy and Dale do several together and Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers do "Timber Trail" and "Song of the Rover" which are excellent. We love the musical ending which is almost like a musical Broadway Show. We also love the song that Dale sings "Moonlight on the River". Very pleasant and entertaining movie.

This modern western musical takes place aboard a river show boat for songs and dances and out among the sagebrush for the basic plot of a payroll robbery case being solved after five years. Showboat owner George Cleveland employs entertainer Dale Evans who is the daughter of the man accused of arranging the robbery, and Roy Rogers is the hero who stumbles onto the truth through spending time among the wrongly accused and those who may be guilty. This features songs and dances throughout the film, wraps up after just under 50 minutes, then stages a lavish (for Republic Studios that is) musical revue that is a mixture of corn, fancy Broadway style dancing, and various styles of songs from various areas. It's all pretty innocuous, but the opportunity to hear Rogers sing the title song doesn't come along every day.

Roy Rogers (as Roy) is an insurance investigator who goes undercover to solve a robbery; among the suspects is Dale Evans (as Betty Weston)'s father Harry Shannon (as Sam Weston), who has just broken jail. Mr. Rogers gets a job singing on Ms. Evans' show boat "Yellow Rose of Texas". Later, Bob Nolan and the "Sons of the Pioneers" are hired, too. Evans doesn't think her dear father Harry Shannon is guilty. Do you?Mr. Nolan and the Sons are in fine voice, with the first rendition of "Timber!" an obvious highlight. The plot really doesn't make much sense, by Rogers seems to figure it out (so you won't have to); it is resolved with the opening of a box on the "Show Boat". Watch as a fake horse almost knocks Dale Evans over when she enters to sing the final version of the title song! *** The Yellow Rose of Texas (1944) Joseph Kane ~ Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Harry Shannon