I guess I would consider this a ghost themed Western, even if the title didn't use the words 'ghost' or 'haunted' to describe the picture. I find this to be a neat little sub-genre of the Western movie experience, and find particular delight in these kinds of stories. The only thing is, this wasn't much of a ghost story, as the 'ghost' turned out to be a character who faked his own death some twenty years earlier. On the face of it, I'm not buying that premise but what the heck, it's a Gene Autry picture.
You know, if you keep an eye on Gene in the early going, it looked like he really might have hurt himself when his stagecoach crashed during the Frontier Days Celebration race. He grabs his right thigh as if in pain, and actually grimaces as the scene transitions to the next part of the story. Gene uses a makeshift cane for the ensuing scenes, so I'm curious now whether the story was written that way, or around the fact that he might have been slightly injured.
Nan Leslie appeared in quite a few B Westerns but I have to say, she never looked more glamorous than she did here once she shed the bookworm image used when Gene first found her at The Bonanza. The story goes on to reveal how she became aware of Gene back in Canyon Junction and fell in love with him from afar, knowing that he had a thing going with saloon gal Lily Shannon. I was curious about a phrase Lily used when she showed Gene her new dress - "Isn't it pash"? I had to look that up - a slang expression for passionate, which I take would be the way she felt about Gene, even while Alan Hale was making his move on her. Interestingly, she didn't show up in the story again.
So what we have here is a story about a trio of outlaws out to recover some stolen loot after serving a twenty year hitch for a stagecoach robbery. Well, two of them anyway, the third outlaw was shot and replaced by Jock Mahoney, appearing as he did in these early B Westerns as O'Mahoney. It's too bad he didn't get to show off his riding skills here, he was one of the best in my book. But this was Gene's picture.
Now I've got to say, I was at a loss for words at the finale when Champion got in on the action and stomped one of the baddies to death. It was done off screen, but it still resonated with this viewer. You could say that villain Jake Fargo (Walter Sande) had it coming to him, but gee, that was tough way to go. As far as movie horses go, I'd say he was one up on Trigger.
You know, if you keep an eye on Gene in the early going, it looked like he really might have hurt himself when his stagecoach crashed during the Frontier Days Celebration race. He grabs his right thigh as if in pain, and actually grimaces as the scene transitions to the next part of the story. Gene uses a makeshift cane for the ensuing scenes, so I'm curious now whether the story was written that way, or around the fact that he might have been slightly injured.
Nan Leslie appeared in quite a few B Westerns but I have to say, she never looked more glamorous than she did here once she shed the bookworm image used when Gene first found her at The Bonanza. The story goes on to reveal how she became aware of Gene back in Canyon Junction and fell in love with him from afar, knowing that he had a thing going with saloon gal Lily Shannon. I was curious about a phrase Lily used when she showed Gene her new dress - "Isn't it pash"? I had to look that up - a slang expression for passionate, which I take would be the way she felt about Gene, even while Alan Hale was making his move on her. Interestingly, she didn't show up in the story again.
So what we have here is a story about a trio of outlaws out to recover some stolen loot after serving a twenty year hitch for a stagecoach robbery. Well, two of them anyway, the third outlaw was shot and replaced by Jock Mahoney, appearing as he did in these early B Westerns as O'Mahoney. It's too bad he didn't get to show off his riding skills here, he was one of the best in my book. But this was Gene's picture.
Now I've got to say, I was at a loss for words at the finale when Champion got in on the action and stomped one of the baddies to death. It was done off screen, but it still resonated with this viewer. You could say that villain Jake Fargo (Walter Sande) had it coming to him, but gee, that was tough way to go. As far as movie horses go, I'd say he was one up on Trigger.