The Carson City Kid (1940)

Powerful

Just perfect...

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Roy Rogers (Roy Rogers, and not playing "himself" but playing a character named Roy Rogers), posing as The Carson City Kid, is seeking vengeance on Morgan Reynolds, the man who killed his brother. Whew!To find Reynolds in the gold towns, he systematically stops stagecoaches and goes through the mail, hoping to find letters addressed to Reynolds and thus learn his whereabouts. "The Kid" earns the reputation of a stagecoach robber, although he never takes anything, and the reputation is enhanced by the fact that he travels with Laramie (Francis McDonald), a notorious half-breed outlaw. Getting complicated yet?A posse is about to capture them and Roy rides back to get Laramie whose horse has been shot, and Laramie repays the favor by slugging Roy and escaping on his horse Trigger. The posse rides by the unseen Roy and captures Laramie and, since he is riding the "Kid's" horse, take him to jail as being the "Kid." Laramie denies this and is told he will be free when he identifies the "Kid".This is a highly implausible movie that is nonetheless watchable. Nothing is believable. Still it's easy to sit through.

Rodgers holds up mail-lines looking for bad guy Bob Steele, in order to settle an old score. Along the way, he tangles with lawman George "Gabby" Hayes and tries to protect young, naive miner Noah Beery Jr., whom Roy's partner (!) and Steele set their thieving sights on.A great role for Roy, this has a great, above average cast and an irresistible chance to see Rodgers going up against fellow Saturday matinée star Steele (who always looked more like a heavy than a hero) in a rare villainous turn.A better than average script, that knows what buttons to push and a quick pace also go a long way in helping make this Republic Pictures production worth watching.The only things that disappoint is the abrupt conclusion and the half-hearted nature of songs.

The Carson City Kid (Roy Rogers) and his partner are, on horseback, fleeing a posse led by Marshal Gabby Whitaker (George "Gabby" Hayes) when his partner's horse is shot from beneath him. The Kid stops and picks up his partner, and they are riding double.The unscrupulous partner then knocks The Kid off the horse and continues alone on horseback. The posse later surrounds the partner and captures him.The Carson City Kid, unhorsed and on foot, hides from the posse that was chasing him and his partner. After the posse captures the partner, and returns to town to jail him, Marshal Gabby Whitaker remains behind, alone, to search for The Carson City Kid.When the Marshal rides beneath a tree, in which The Kid is hiding, The Kid drops a rope over the Marshal and takes his horse, leaving the Marshal to make his way back to town on foot.Since The Kid was on foot, and nowhere near a horse... where did he get the mysteriously appearing rope which he used to capture the Marshal?

Old Roy Rogers western. Only entertaining when you have nothing better to do. The story is simple and the situations are standard. Done a hundred times before. A few good action scenes and a good supporting cast are the only things that make this movie at least a bit watchable. George "Gabby" Hayes and Noah Beery are the only highlights in this B-Movie.Only for Roy Rogers fans I think.