Rhythm of the Saddle (1938) User Reviews (5)

Oh, Ladies

[krorie · 6/10 · 19 November 2006]

By the time "Rhythm of the Saddle" hit the big screen, Gene Autry was the number one cowboy in America. He was truly a singing cowboy, having success on the radio as well as being one of the leading recording artists of the day. Starting his career as a blue yodeler in the Jimmie Rodgers vein, by 1938 Gene had developed into a crooner of western-styled ballads. Gene was also a successful songwriter. He co-wrote the country music classic "That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine" and several others. But Gene would have been the first to admit that he was not the best singer, actor, or rider in Hollywood. Yet he had a certain charisma that made him a star and enough talent to keep his star in the sky, a star that continues to shine even today.

"Rhythm of the Saddle" is a mix of action, romance, and music, with a little humor provided by the multi-talented Frog Millhouse (Smiley Burnette), whose least talent unfortunately was comedy.

The film ends with an exciting stagecoach race providing the usual amount of fine stunt work by Republic's gallery of stunt men. The stunt perfected by Yakima Canutt where the stuntman goes underneath the horses and then the stagecoach to reemerge fit enough to pull himself back onto the stage is done by Joe Yrigoyen standing in for Gene. It's amazing what Republic could do in an age void of computer graphics.

The music this time is one of the weakest elements in the movie. Most of the songs are lackluster and not up to Gene's usual standards. The best of the lot is Gene's rendition of the old pop standard "Let Me Call You Sweetheart." Of the others ("Merry-Go-Roundup," "Oh, Ladies,""When Mother Nature Sings Her Lullaby," and "Old Trail"), the humorous ditty, "Oh, Ladies," with Gene and Smiley yodeling--partly in Frog's frog voice, is the best and certainly the most entertaining.

The story is somewhat complex for the small fries. Gene is framed while trying to obtain a must-have contract for next year's rodeo in Overland, Nevada, for his boss, ranch owner Maureen McClune (Peggy Moran). Gene and Frog come up against the sinister machinations of Jack Pomeroy (Le Roy Mason), nightclub owner with a desire to have everything for himself. Gene is aided by Champion who brings Frog and Maureen to where Gene is hiding so Gene can save the day. This time rather than Gene chasing archfiend Pomeroy down for a final fisticuffs, the villain meets his end in a most appropriate way.

Though the music is a bit weak this time, there is enough action to please Gene's many fans; plus the story is above average for an oater. And what a stagecoach race!

"Yeah, you set the trap, but who ate the cheese?"

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 2 October 2011]

"Rhythm of the Saddle" has a rodeo theme for a backdrop, much like Gene Autry's 1942 picture "Home in Wyomin'". The story here involves a young female ranch owner, Maurine McClune (Peggy Moran), who may not get a bank loan renewed unless her Silver Saddle Ranch lands the rodeo contract for the following year. With the slippery owner of the Triangle Ranch and Club (LeRoy Mason) bribing bank manager Chase (Arthur Loft) with an illusory one third stake in the rodeo, this might be hard to pull off for the McClunes. But Gene and Smiley will find a way.

Hey, did you get a load of that white swayback horse Smiley showed up with at the start of the picture? That was one sorry looking animal, wasn't it? His back was bowed so badly that it looked like the front and rear of two different animals held together by a sagging bridge. Very strange.

Before it's all over, Gene's framed for the murder of banker Chase, but that won't stop him from eluding the sheriff and taking the reins of the Silver Saddle stagecoach in the annual race competition against The Triangle and a third entry from the Triple I Ranch. I have to say, I don't think I've ever seen speeding stagecoaches take the kinds of turns they did here without flipping over. You had to have some talented drivers and stunt men to pull this off, including one of those elaborate Yakima Canuut inspired 'under the wagon' drags that Gene performs by virtue of a competent stunt double.

As was traditional in Gene's pictures, there are a host of songs sprinkled throughout, the best being his serenade of Miss McClune with 'Let Me Call You Sweetheart'. The story also has a gimmick where Smiley uses a recording machine to trap the bad guys, but it also provides his undoing at the finale, when an earlier recording he did himself is planted by Gene to make it look like a marriage proposal to Aunt Hatttie McClune (Pert Kelton). I can't say I felt sorry for him, she was probably the prettiest gal he ever wound up with in any of Gene's pictures.

Pretty standard fare from Gene and Smiley

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 21 December 2020]

Gene is the foreman at a ranch owned by nice Maureen. She also is in charge of a local rodeo but some baddie wants to take the rodeo away from her. These aren't exactly the usual high stakes but the baddie is willing to do anything to get control of the rodeao...including framing Gene for murder. And, without Gene to ride in the stagecoach race, he's sure to gain control of the rodeo.

I really thought that this was an enjoyable film but the plot itself really didn't make a lot of sense, even for a Gene Autry film. But the story is pleasant and modestly entertaining. Plus, it's nice to see Smiley get a lady the end of the film....which is a nice change of pace. I also loved the insane stuntwork done for the race....just watch it and you'll see what I mean.

Average, with Compensations

[dougdoepke · 19 August 2014]

No need to recap the plot since others have done it well. To me this was an average Autry programmer, nothing special, but with the proved Autry mix. The two highlights are, of course, the novel stagecoach race and Gene's tuneful version of the durable "Let Me Call You Sweetheart". Polly Moran makes very attractive eye-candy, along with Pert Kelton of TV's early edition of The Honeymooners (1951-52). Of course, the girls are never given much to do in these oaters except look pretty. But oh my gosh, that poor swayback horse really is a sight. Poor devil, I wonder how he got that way. Note that Frog is less clownish than usual, and does the straight parts really well. What an all-around talented performer he was. Good also to see familiar bad guy LeRoy Mason (Pomeroy ) picking up a payday. However, unlike many other Autry entries, this one never leaves LA area scrublands, though the rodeo stock footage does compensate some. Anyway, the 60-minutes may not be anything special, still it's enough to keep old front row kids like me happy.

A "5" on the matinée scale.

Not too bad at all in spots

[JohnHowardReid · 5/10 · 25 March 2018]

Copyright 4 November 1938 by Republic Pictures Corp. No recorded New York opening. U.S. release: 5 November 1938. Australian release through British Empire Films: 24 August 1939. 6 reels. 57 minutes.

COMMENT: Although lacking the power, vitality and stylishness of Sherman/Autry's Colorado Sunset, this entry does serve up a moderately exciting stagecoach race climax incorporating some thrilling stuntwork.

Unfortunately, the rest of the picture doesn't come up to this standard. The rodeo setting was no doubt chosen simply as an excuse to pad out the running time with a great deal of ancient stock footage. Even the obligatory sequence of Autry's double chasing after a runaway wagon is tamely and uninvolvingly presented. The story is both slight and overly familiar, characterisations are stubbornly one-dimensional, whilst the dialogue rings with such liberal clichés, it occasionally seems unintentionally ludicrous.

Gene sings a number of songs, including a particularly maudlin rendition of "Let Me Call You Sweetheart", plus a mildly humorous warble through "Waiting for the Ladies" in which he is joined by Smiley Burnette, whilst Peggy Moran and her companion amusingly insert some of the punch-lines. (Speaking of Miss Moran, she is given precious little to do, and is unappealingly photographed to boot).

Burnette also attempts some foolery with a loud-speaker which turns out to be nothing more than a tepid precursor of his similar and far more hilarious efforts in Colorado Sunset. Despite strenuous over-acting, the villains fail to make much impression.

Production values are no more than average. Credits ditto. Sherman's direction is ordinary and routine, whilst Marta's photography seems surprisingly flat. Marta even makes a bit of actual location lensing look unexciting.