Copyright 31 July 1939 by Republic Pictures Corp. No recorded New York opening. U.S. release: 31 July 1939. U.K. release through British Lion: No Australian theatrical release. 7 reels. 64 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Gene and his Texas Troubadors quit barnstorning as they purchase what they think is a Colorado cattle ranch, only to discover that the stock consists of milk cows. This puts them in the midst of a dairy war, with some well-concealed power hijacking the dairy trucks and destroying them in an effort to force them into a combine.
NOTES: Number 34 of Autry's 94 motion pictures.
COMMENT: Colorado Sunset is by no means the incongruous mixture that Fenin and Everson's illustration in The Western makes out. In fact it is one of Autry's best westerns, full of action which is directed in a lively, zestful manner by George Sherman with lots and lots of fast running inserts and lots and lots of thrilling stunt falls.
It is also one of the most spectacularly produced of all Autry's films with not a single clip of stock footage and the deployment of hundreds of extras against some striking natural locations. The spectacular climax itself with its employment of scores of hard-riding, pistol-shooting horsemen and the crashing of dozens of milk-wagons would be enough in itself to lift the film into the "A" category, but there are some other action sequences that are almost equally exciting - the destruction of Autry's ranch in which cross-cutting is used effectively, and the rescue of Kermit Maynard right at the beginning of the film with Autry's obligatory chase after a runaway wagon (a sequence that is incorporated into almost all his films).
The cast too puts the film firmly in the "A" class and is one of the most interesting ever assembled for an Autry western. Autry himself is a more colorful personality here than in most of his films. The TV print has doubtless dropped some of his songs (as well as Patsy Montana and her Cowgirls) though he has three or four pleasant numbers and there is a rousing election march complete with baton-twirling cuties.
The whole film has a no-expense-spared look about it. The photography is of much better quality than usual, the film being most attractively lit throughout. The film editing is sharp.
Mr. Burnette is his usual amiable self and a sequence in which he rewires the amplifiers at an election rally is quite amusing. Miss Storey is not a particularly attractive heroine but Barbara Pepper is a delightful sub, exchanging dialogue (chiefly with Burnette) with an infectious enthusiasm.
The rest of the cast also enter into their parts with zest - Robert H. Barrat makes a colorful villain and Larry Buster Crabbe is always at his best in villainous roles such as here. William Farnum has a good scene as the sheriff which he plays with true professionalism, while Kermit Maynard plays the wagon driver whom Autry rescues at the beginning of the film. Couldn't spot Elmo Lincoln of Tarzan fame but nice to see Jack Ingram up to his usual dirty work as leader of the band of marauders.
OTHER VIEWS: Another "modern" western with six-shooting sheriff Autry tangling with bandits hijacking milk trucks, features a grandly crowded chase climax with running inserts and the very personable Larry Buster Crabbe as the villain's chief henchman. June Storey has a more sizable part than in Mountain Rhythm and screams delightfully at the appropriate moments in Gene's novelty song, "Seven Years With the Wrong Woman", while Smiley clowns with the equally delightful Barbara Pepper (who alas disappears from the action for just about all the second half). Robert Barrat leads an interesting contingent of support players. Credits and production values (including Sherman's and/or his stunt director's vigorous use of real locations) are well above standard.
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