If you're a Gary Cooper fan, stick with his more familiar roles portraying Sergeant York, Lou Gehrig or Marshal Will Kane. Cooper seems a bit stiff here, but it was still a few years before those better known and appreciated films. I didn't really feel the chemistry between Stretch (Cooper) and sweetheart Mary (Merle Oberon), and having the relationship seem forced for the purpose of the story is never a good thing.
But he was certainly better looking than Walter Brennan. Think about it, what was Katie (Patsy Kelly) thinking when she willingly traded Stretch for Sugar (Brennan) on the triple date? On balance, there was probably a better looking random trio of cowboys (figuring Fuzzy Knight included) at the rodeo the girls might have hooked up with, even with Coop in the mix.
You know who the unsung hero of this affair was? How about Harry Davenport as Mary's Uncle Hannibal. That jitterbug routine early in the picture was a hoot, and he had a few more gems along the way serving counterpoint to Mary's presidential hopeful father (Henry Kolker). I would have liked to see more of him in the story.
With 'Home on the Range' repeatedly surfacing in the background, "The Cowboy and the Lady" is a mildly entertaining rework of the rich girl/poor boy theme that fans of Cooper and Oberon will be interested in seeing. For the rest, be prepared for some slow filler moments when Mr. Stretch does his pantomime routine and utilizes the apron gimmick on Ma Hawkins (Emma Dunn) an annoying six times. To be fair, there is an instructive moment in which I was happy to learn that work horses are nice people.
But he was certainly better looking than Walter Brennan. Think about it, what was Katie (Patsy Kelly) thinking when she willingly traded Stretch for Sugar (Brennan) on the triple date? On balance, there was probably a better looking random trio of cowboys (figuring Fuzzy Knight included) at the rodeo the girls might have hooked up with, even with Coop in the mix.
You know who the unsung hero of this affair was? How about Harry Davenport as Mary's Uncle Hannibal. That jitterbug routine early in the picture was a hoot, and he had a few more gems along the way serving counterpoint to Mary's presidential hopeful father (Henry Kolker). I would have liked to see more of him in the story.
With 'Home on the Range' repeatedly surfacing in the background, "The Cowboy and the Lady" is a mildly entertaining rework of the rich girl/poor boy theme that fans of Cooper and Oberon will be interested in seeing. For the rest, be prepared for some slow filler moments when Mr. Stretch does his pantomime routine and utilizes the apron gimmick on Ma Hawkins (Emma Dunn) an annoying six times. To be fair, there is an instructive moment in which I was happy to learn that work horses are nice people.