In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

"The Man from Music Mountain" (1938) is available on Platinum Disc in a rather dark print copied from 16mm TV. Athough Gene is prominently featured on ads and credits, the movie actually stars Smiley Burnette, who not only has a slightly larger role - he even partners Gene at the action climax - but the best of the musical numbers, namely "She Works Third Tub at the Laundry" (one of Smiley's own compositions). What's worse for Autry fans is that Gene is very obviously doubled by a stunt expert zipping through the action at the start and at the finish. With all the songs and the comedy involving Smiley, Carol Hughes, Sally Payne, and a "cute" boy with buck teeth, the plot doesn't really get underway until ten minutes before the end title. At this breathless point, the heavies who have very cunningly presented themselves as Mr Nice Guys, suddenly fall out of character and commit a motiveless act of murder. Not one of Gene's best Republic outings by any means, yet it's one that most people remember. You have only to say, "Boulder Dam", and people instantly recall the revived ghost town, where cashed-up but feeble-brained homesteaders buy worthless land plots from a sleazy duo of obvious confidence men, who promise a bonanza when electricity and water are connected from the Dam - in the never-never!

Really good early Autry, an expert mix of story, music and action. I also learned what a difference electricity made to rural communities. We tend to take electric power for granted, but the movie is set in 1938, soon after Boulder Dam was built, and the bad guy is using the promise of electrification to scam Depression era folks. It's really worked well into the plot, better than any A-movie I've seen, and even produces a good laugh.Anyhow, Gene gets to do some hard riding in order to thwart their plans, along with an action-filled mine tunnel finale. Frog has a fairly straight role minus the usual clownish humor. What a fine versatile performer he was. There's also a did-I-really-see-that novelty act that beats out tunes on about everything but rocks. Include too a lovely Carol Hughes as eye-relief from all the ugly guys, and you've got a near perfect package of Autry entertainment.

Gene Autry takes on land speculators who use the promise of electricity from the then new Boulder Dam to lure people to an old ghost town promising them not only cheap land and cheap power but also a share in a gold mine. Less action and more songs than many other Autry films I've seen this is a rather bland affair. Frankly its one of the few films where it's the music that's the reason to watch since most of the drama involves Autry and others going in an out of offices and shops and such. Most of the battles are verbal with only a runaway wagon at the start and a shoot out at the end being anything of the physical sort. For me it's a take it or leave proposition, with the best way to see it is stumbling upon it rather than seeking it out.

Gene sings a song called "Man from Music Mountain" near the beginning of the movie when Frog tells him that he needs to pep things up. The song is about as close as the story gets to the title of this action-filled shoot-'em-up. It seems that an eastern pair of shysters is getting rich selling shares in a worthless gold mine located near a ghost town. The crooks are also selling realty in the deserted mining town telling the buyers that the government is going to reopen the area by pumping water and electricity their way as a result of Boulder Dam. The only problem is the government is by-passing the area so the land is virtually worthless. In rides Gene and his cowhands to try to thwart the efforts of the bad guys. Gene even grub stacks the new arrivals until he figures out a way to get their money back and run the swindlers out of the country.The film opens with a homage to President Roosevelt's New Deal, showing the magnificent "Eighth Wonder of the World," Boulder Dam. Hollywood continually championed the New Deal during the 1930's, helping Roosevelt in his attempt to strangle Ol' Man Depression. It's doubtful if any other American President has been so favored by the mass media as Roosevelt throughout his twelve years in the White House. There's more than the usual amount of music in this Gene Autry outing. Most of it written by Gene, Frog (Smiley Burnette), and an up and comer Fred Rose, who would later discover Hank Williams, Sr, and help found the huge conglomerate, the Roy Acuff, Fred Rose Publishing Company in Nashville. Rose and Smiley were two of the best song writers around so expect some fine tunes. Smiley was a consummate musician, much better in that category than in the humor department, although in "Music Mountain" he does have some funny parts. One standout routine is "She Works Third Tub At The Laundry" with really raunchy lyrics for 1938 with a few sexual innuendos thrown in for good measure. Toward the end of the film Gene, who began his singing career imitating the great country blues singer Jimmie Rodgers, does a song that is a reworking of Jimmie's old "Gambler's Blues," giving the viewer a feel of how Gene sounded in the beginning before he attempted to become a popular crooner. There's also a cute ditty called "Burning Love" that involves a fairly humorous scene between the men and the ladies played by the vivacious Carol Hughes and the cut-up Sally Payne.Between the songs there's plenty of action culminating with a wild chase from the mine where an explosion opens a new vein of gold to the town to try to stop the crooks from horning in on the new riches. The chase involves Gene doing some fancy riding and roping. In most of Gene's movies there's a mixture of the Old West and the new west. So expect some modern inventions such as motor vehicles and electric gadgets. In fact, Frog wants to open an electric shop in town if electricity ever gets there.A good one for Gene Autry fans. Not bad for those who like Saturday matinée cowboy shows.