GoodTimes has a set of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans DVDs out there under the name of Happy Trails Theatre. Although Don't Fence Me In was shortened a bit for this DVD, I'd still like to recommend the Happy Trails DVDs to you. I was fortunate to pick up several brand new ones at a local flea market. Each one has some of the same information but each also has new information about Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and their crowd. If you are a Roy Rogers and Dale Evans fan like me you will totally enjoy all the extra footage showing Roy and Dale going to parades and visiting children in hospitals, the story of Roy proposing marriage to Dale, and more inside info also about the family. Each movie starts out with Roy and Dale seated on a small stage back around 1987 talking about the movie they are showing. They also have guest surviving guest stars visit, like Iron Eyes Cody and others. Sometimes there is Dusty Rogers (Roy Rogers Jr.) who does a great Gabby Hayes imitation. The song playing about Roy and Dale is sung by Dusty and I had no idea he had such a good voice. Then there is a Sidekicks Feature about Gabby Hays and other who worked with Roy and Dale and also a Museum Tour. I don't mind that the movie may be shorted a bit (don't know why though with DVD technology) since I am getting all the extra info and footage. As far as Don't Fence Me In, I think it was one of their best. It starts out with Dale pretending to be a showgirl dancer (really a reporter) on a table at a political meeting, with other girls going around the table kissing the men. Mild to what is shown today, but pretty racy for those days. Wonder how they got by the censors? But it gave Dale a chance to show off her singing and acting talents and she was excellent as a hard boiled newspaperwoman who starts to soften over time when she meets Roy (probably not too far from real life as a cautious Hollywood actress who gets a proposal from the famous Roy Rogers). She heads to the West to cover a story and meets the Sons of the Pioneers and Gabby Hayes. Gabby was great (as usual) and played his character to the T. The bad guy in this was Moroni Olsen who played Mr. Tewitt in another favorite movie of mine - The Long, Long Trailer. He also played Robert E. Lee in Santa Fe Trail plus plenty of other movies. He had a menacing way about him and fit the part well. Another bad guy was played by Marc Lawrence who always played the gangland type. Ray Teal had a small part as a State investigator and Western fans will remember him as Sheriff Roy Coffee on Bonanza. And of course our favorites Bob Livingston, Bob Nolan and others. Wonderful acting, singing and great fun! Don't miss this one!
Review of Don't Fence Me In
