Even in black and white, the film looks gorgeous with it's outdoor settings, as Gene and partner Rawhide (Pat Buttram) head north from Montana into the Canadian wilderness. They've been sent by employer Cyrus Higbee (Don Beddoe) to his daughter's newly formed dude ranch on property he gave her on a whim, but is now sorry for since he had hoped it would operate as a successful timber operation. Gail Davis portrays Sandy Higbee, and though I'm sure I've seen her in a dress before, she never looked prettier than she does here, about a half dozen years before starring as Annie Oakley in the late Fifties TV show.
Pat Buttram usually went by his real name when teaming up with Autry, but this time out he's Rawhide. Is it just me, or would that have been someone else playing Rawhide's shadow before the Cass County Boys arrived? Later on, Pat dons the buckskin jacket and skunk-like fur hat that sets up a look-alike gimmick with Higbee's arrival in the same kind of outfit. They almost went for the mirror image bit; if they had they would have beaten Lucy and Harpo by a few years.
I was curious about the singer Carolina Cotton, so when I checked the film credits, it turns out she was really Carolina Cotton! Not only that, but in most of her film appearances she's using her real name. Interesting how you get to pick up that kind of trivia simply watching old movies.
I'm not sure if anything was really resolved by the end of the picture as far as the story line went. Gail Davis' character was a pretty avid conservationist and wouldn't allow any timber harvesting on her property. The opposing Mitchell Lumber Company operated as the villain bunch, but even though Gene uncovered the 'real' bad guy by the film's end, that didn't really change anything to my way of thinking. Gene might have solved one problem, but life would have to go on once the picture ended, wouldn't it?
Pat Buttram usually went by his real name when teaming up with Autry, but this time out he's Rawhide. Is it just me, or would that have been someone else playing Rawhide's shadow before the Cass County Boys arrived? Later on, Pat dons the buckskin jacket and skunk-like fur hat that sets up a look-alike gimmick with Higbee's arrival in the same kind of outfit. They almost went for the mirror image bit; if they had they would have beaten Lucy and Harpo by a few years.
I was curious about the singer Carolina Cotton, so when I checked the film credits, it turns out she was really Carolina Cotton! Not only that, but in most of her film appearances she's using her real name. Interesting how you get to pick up that kind of trivia simply watching old movies.
I'm not sure if anything was really resolved by the end of the picture as far as the story line went. Gail Davis' character was a pretty avid conservationist and wouldn't allow any timber harvesting on her property. The opposing Mitchell Lumber Company operated as the villain bunch, but even though Gene uncovered the 'real' bad guy by the film's end, that didn't really change anything to my way of thinking. Gene might have solved one problem, but life would have to go on once the picture ended, wouldn't it?