A Major Disappointment

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

As is the case in a lot of B westerns the title has nothing to do with the story. The only connection that Arizona has with The Arizona Kid is that Roy Rogers and Gabby Hayes are bringing a string of horses from Arizona as the story opens. Otherwise the action takes place in Civil War era Missouri.Roy wants to join the Confederate cause, but friend Dave Allen wants to join the irregular guerrillas that Stuart Hamblen is putting together. Roy has scruples about what Hamblen is all about, he's a Quantrill type raider in all, but name.Later on Hamblen has his connections with the Confederacy severed by the Confederacy due in no small part to Rogers's instigation. After that capturing Hamblen and destroying his band becomes a personal mission for Roy. I think it completely ironic that the Confederacy had such scruples about the fictional character that Hamblen plays. They sure didn't in real life have any about Colonel Quantrill, they couldn't afford any.I will say that the final showdown between Roy and Hamblen's character is nicely staged.Still this is not one of the best of the Roy Rogers westerns.

This B western has solid acting ,production values and direction. Joe Kane directs Roy Rogers, "Gabby " Hayes, Stuart Hamblin and David Allen with a sure hand. Unusual for a Rogers film, Kane keeps the singing to a minimum with the emphasis on action and dramatics.The plot concerns Roy and his boyhood friend Dave.Dave is reckless and pursues a career with renegade raider Hamblin.Roy sees trouble ahead and tries to set Dave straight,with no success. Then the Civil War erupts with Roy joining the Confederates and Dave and Hamblin forming their own band of raiders. Roy is ordered to stop Hamblins Raiders. In the final scenes where Roy has to order Dave and the other raiders executed for treason, Roy shows true emotion and a solid bit of acting. Also the final shootout with Hamblin is memorable. This movie is a notch above many other Rogers western. My vote : 7 out of 10.

Roy Rogers (as Roy Rogers) finds his home town divided at the onset of the Civil War. Missouri is a Union State, but Mr. Rogers and the town-folk side with the Confederate States. Rogers and his sidekick George "Gabby" Hayes (as Gabby) decide to work for the Confederacy; their mission becomes defeating renegade Stuart Hamblen (as McBride). The wicked Mr. Hamblen complicates loyalties further by employing Rogers' boyhood friend Dave Kerwin (as Dave).Obviously, hero Rogers is on the losing side of the Civil War; but the film has little to do with its Civil War setting; instead, it's a story about loyalty and the law. It you ignore the Confederate issues, it's one of the better early Rogers stories. The acting and production levels are relatively high - watch the story after the storm hits, with thunder and lightning used effectively by director Joseph Kane. Dorothy Sebastian (as Bess) is great with Rogers and Hamblen in the final confrontation/shootout scene. Roger's songs are above average, too - particularly when harmonizing with slaves on "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot". ****** The Arizona Kid (9/29/39) Joseph Kane ~ Roy Rogers, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Dorothy Sebastian

Set in 1861 Missouri at the outset of the Civil War, it's a toss up as to how the state will side during the great conflict. Officially a Union state, sympathies lie with the Southern cause, and when news of the attack on Fort Sumter breaks, cheers break out for the Confederacy at the garden party of Dr. Jason Bradford. Roy Rogers and Gabby Whittaker (Gabby Hayes) are sympathizers who become scouts for the Confederate Army, and their mission is to bring a guerrilla outlaw to justice. Val McBride wears a Confederate uniform, but his band of mercenaries would rather loot Federal supply trains and civilian ranchers, taking advantage of the conflict to enrich themselves.It wasn't unusual for Charlie Chan films of the same era to make racial references, taking jabs at blacks as well as Orientals. This is the first time I've encountered it in a 'B' Western. There's a scene where Roy enters the Radford home and is greeted by the black maid Mammy Lou. When he comments that she's looking well, Mammy Lou replies - "Maybe I am, but I'm feelin' kind of pale."For a good part of the film, Roy tries to convince his friend Dave (David Allen) to sever his allegiance with the outlaw McBride, but the easy money is too great a temptation. Dave and Roy share an affection for Dr. Bradford's daughter Laura (Sally March), though the romantic angle doesn't get resolved by the end of the film. In a rarity for these early oaters, the villain also has a female accomplice. Bess Warren (Dorothy Sebastian) is McBride's girlfriend, though the relationship is more casual than close.I managed to pick up this film cheaply on DVD along with another Roy Rogers flick on the flip side, "Apache Rose". Both copies suffered from poor voice and lip synchronization, and this film was a bit blurry besides. Along with that, the story seemed to drag along with drawn out chases and repetitious dialog. Still, if you're a Roy and Gabby fan, there's enough here to tune in. So far it's the only film in which I've seen Roy sing a spiritual as part of his repertoire.For Roy Rogers fans, another film with a Confederate backdrop to consider is "Robin Hood of the Pecos"; Gabby's along for that ride too. If you take in this film, have some fun and count up how many times Gabby says 'ya durn tootin'".