Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

A Brilliant Conflict

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

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.

This is a pretty good Roy Rogers Western, with the standard features plus a plot that is a bit less routine than usual. Roy is an investigator for an insurance company, sent to investigate the robbery of a payroll shipment five years earlier. What makes it interesting is that this time neither Roy nor the audience knows who the criminal is - there are several suspects, and Roy has to play detective and use deduction, rather than just chasing the bad guys around. It's not exactly an Agatha Christie-quality mystery, but it's not bad either. There are also the usual songs plus some action scenes. Most fans of Rogers should find this one worth watching.