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NFR Project: ‘Melody Ranch’
Dir: Joseph Santley
Scr: Jack Moffitt, F. Hugh Herbert, Bradford Ropes, Betty Burbridge
Pho: Joseph H. August
Ed: Lester Orlebeck
Premiere: Nov. 15, 1940
84 min.
Orvon Grover Autry was born in Texas in 1907. Taking on the moniker of Gene, he grew up on the family ranch. After high school, he got work as a telegrapher, and he used to sing and play guitar to while away the time on the job (and got fired for it). He received encouragement from many people who heard him play, most notably Will Rogers.
He started off singing on the radio in Oklahoma in 1928. In 1929, he landed a recording deal with Columbia Records. He finally scored a hit with “That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine,” which he co-wrote. Soon his popularity went through the roof, and he became known as “The Singing Cowboy.”
In 1935, he was cast as the star of The Phantom Empire, a 12-part movie serial that improbably mashed together music, Western drama, and science fiction. He soon was the leading man in low-budget Westerns in which he would sing, fight bad guys, and joke around with his sidekick, Smiley Burnette. He wound up making 96 films in the course of his career, and made an amazing 640 recordings. He was Public Cowboy #1, and inspired a host of imitators.
Autry had a melodious voice, and an easy-going, upbeat persona that appealed to just about everybody. On his horse Champion, he righted wrongs and crooned cowboy ballads. He eventually would branch off into radio and television as well. He is the only person to have five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for his work in film, radio, TV, recording, and live performance.
It is difficult to gauge now just how popular Autry was. Everyone played his songs, saw his movies, listened to him on the radio, read his comic books, played with toys licensed by his brand. He became a role model for the nation’s youth, and penned a 10-part Cowboy Code that outlined the attributes of an upstanding human being. Kids worshipped him.
Melody Ranch is a typical Autry vehicle. It mixes together a few songs, some rip-roaring Western action, and comedy bits executed by Jimmy Durante and Barbara Jo Allen, better known as her comedic persona Vera Vague. Autry’s love interest in the film is played by the 17-year-old singer and dancer Ann Miller (the film originally had Gene kissing her, but fans complained that this was too “sissy,” and it was edited out). Other notable participants included the venerable old coot George “Gabby” Hayes, bad buy Barton MacLane, and the musical outfit Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys.
Gene could sing wonderfully, ride well, act a little, and do a little fighting stunt work as well. He gets to do all this in Melody Ranch, which stands out from his usual films for its budget and its gorgeous visuals filmed by the great cinematographer Joseph H. August. Of course, Gene defeats the villains and gets the girl, ending the film on a warbling note. It’s a fun romp that doesn’t make you think too hard, a perfect escapist Western fantasy that millions loved to watch.
The NFR is one writer’s attempt to review all the films listed in the National Film Registry in chronological order. Next time: Men and Dust.
