"Bells of San Angelo" is one of the early Republic films done in Trucolor, although it was orange and blue that dominated the print I just viewed. Cowboy hero Roy Rogers portrays himself as a border investigator on the trail of a silver smuggling operation. Roy is aided by comic sidekick Andy Devine in a dual role, as Sheriff Cookie Bullfincher, and as his later revealed alter ego George Wallingford Lancaster, although the second identity has no real significance in the story. Dale Evans enters the picture as Western novelist Lee Madison, and the first half of the film includes a running gag wherein Roy and companions expect to meet a male writer. Roy consistently dismisses Madison's stories as trivial, as Dale takes it all in while claiming to be a woman named Helen Clifford, until she can figure out what Rogers is all about.
When Roy, Cookie and Lee discover the phony mine that serves as the front for the smugglers, trouble ensues as Miss Madison is kidnapped by the gang's leader Gridley (John McGuire). It's Trigger to the rescue, as his riderless presence alerts Roy's pals, the Sons of the Pioneers into action. Taking a page from Miss Madison's book "Murder on the Border", page 77 to be exact, Roy appears to shoot Lee as she's held hostage by Gridley. Roy then takes care of the bad guys in short order, even though it's two against one.
"Bells of San Angelo" is entertaining enough, and it's nice to see Pat Brady, even if in an uncredited role as one of the Sons of the Pioneers. His comic timing is not as fully developed as we'll come to see in a few more years on the "Roy Rogers Show". Roy and Dale make a charming couple, and they even get to sing a duet together among the host of songs presented in the film.
When Roy, Cookie and Lee discover the phony mine that serves as the front for the smugglers, trouble ensues as Miss Madison is kidnapped by the gang's leader Gridley (John McGuire). It's Trigger to the rescue, as his riderless presence alerts Roy's pals, the Sons of the Pioneers into action. Taking a page from Miss Madison's book "Murder on the Border", page 77 to be exact, Roy appears to shoot Lee as she's held hostage by Gridley. Roy then takes care of the bad guys in short order, even though it's two against one.
"Bells of San Angelo" is entertaining enough, and it's nice to see Pat Brady, even if in an uncredited role as one of the Sons of the Pioneers. His comic timing is not as fully developed as we'll come to see in a few more years on the "Roy Rogers Show". Roy and Dale make a charming couple, and they even get to sing a duet together among the host of songs presented in the film.