I like old B-westerns. Sure, they are usually pretty predictable but they also can be a lot of fun. Some of them feature a hero who sings and romances (such as Roy Rogers or Gene Autry) and some don't (Hopalong Cassidy or Tim McCoy come to mind). I like both types. But something I've noticed about a few of the singing cowboys films....that after a while the TYPE of songs they sang and the style really changed. I adore the simple western tunes sung by Autry or Rogers...but in "Under Nevada Skies" the songs are completely wrong for ANY western. In fact, in the case of one of the songs, it seemed more like a showcase for Rogers' then girlfriend...and soon to be wife. She sings a song that might fit in well with a contemporary nightclub setting...but not in the west. The same with a weird song and dance number later in the film...not the least big country western in style and more like something you'd see in the nightclub once again. Fortunately, later Dale and Roy since a slower, nicer song...though it, too, isn't really the style you'd expect in a Rogers film. It's as if the film is a parody of other Rogers' films....and I found myself longing to hear Roy and the Sons of the Pioneers who performed in the best films of in the series.
As far as the story goes, it starts of VERY, VERY badly....and you wonder about what the writers were thinking. As Roy is out palling around with his American Indian friends, Dale comes barreling through in her car...nearly killing several folks and showing complete disregard for everyone. Then, when her engine is flooded and the car stalled after splashing water on Roy and the Indians, she whines about how unfair it is that her car won't start and takes no responsibility for her actions. This is NOT a 'meet cute' but seems like the perfect start to the film IF Dale is playing a villain...which she wasn't. Bad, bad writing!
Soon a guy named Tom is murdered and Dale indicates that the real reason she came out west was to get some sort of family crest Tom stole long ago. The rest of the movie consists of Roy, Dale and the baddies all working to find this crest.
Now to say that there is zero suspense about the identity of the baddie leader is an understatement. This is NOT a spoiler!! After all, in EVERY B-movie (not just westerns) Douglass Dumbrille plays a evil scum-bag...a complete rotter! This, combined with the awful songs and Dale's hateful entry into the film make this a terrible Roy Rogers film...one that would clearly disappoint fans. The only saving grace is that the film features Gabby Hayes and everyone likes Gabby!
Overall, I'd place this among Roy Rogers' worst films...one that seems to have forgotten the formula that made him such a popular cowboy star.
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