Carolina Moon (1940) User Reviews

Classic Autry

[Spondonman · 7/10 · 16 December 2007]

It's another excellent Gene Autry western, with Smiley ("Frog") Burnette and June ("nice legs, ma'am") Storey in tow who could ask for anything more? Also with that nice early '40's Republic atmosphere and a whole bunch of nice songs too.

The IMDb plot outline virtually gives the whole story away, but essentially Gene and Frog come to the rescue of plantation damsel in distress and her still Rebel grandfather. Do our heroes manage to save them from the clutches of the land-grabbing baddies out to buy up the entire countryside to augment their capitalist greed? June of course is at her wits end, but it doesn't stop her smiling along and duetting with Gene, especially the dreamy Dreaming Dreams (walking in the moonlight, with Champion too) and Say Si Si (at the piano at her plantation). Gene's solo highlight came with a too short version of the title song, whilst the Old Folks At Home got a spirited rendition from the plantation Negroes in a scene guaranteed to disturb any modern serious person brought up only on modern serious endless gratuitous sex and violence in films. For all of our sakes then I hope none of them ever see this!

Gene is wonderfully imperturbable, Smiley has his usual farcical subplot going off throughout, there's some witty smart-ass one liners thrown in. And June even has the last word - in short, although there's many of his films I've never seen it's one of my favourite Autry's.

Plenty of dough at the rodeo.

[michaelRokeefe · 6/10 · 29 September 2008]

Gene Autry travels to the deep south. Colonel Stanhope(Eddy Waller)enters his daughter Caroline's(June Storey)horse in a rodeo in hopes of winning enough money to satisfy the evil Henry Wheeler(Hardie Albright), who has big plans on cheating folks like Stanhope out of their plantations. Gene and his sidekick Frog Millhouse(Smiley Burnette)help convince the landowners into cutting and selling their once thought worthless timber to save their plantations. There is time for such tunes as "Dreaming Dreams That Won't Come True", "At The Rodeo" and "Carolina Moon". Other players include: Mary Lee, Robert Fiske, Paul White and Etta McDaniel.

I'm Glad I'm Not In Dixie, Hooray!

[boblipton · 6/10 · 20 August 2023]

Gene Autry buys a thoroughbred horse from failing plantation owner Eddy Waller, then through a misunderstanding he and Smiley Burnette have to pursue him to his home, where daughters June Storey and Mary Lee are, at first, hostile. All the plantations are failing, about to be sold for taxes, but Hardie Albright wants to buy them for logging. Gene susses this out and the owners sign their own contracts, but Albright has a few nasty tricks up his sleeve.

Modern viewers may have issues with the way the Black folk are depicted, as well as the comedy sequence in which Burnette dresses as a Black woman, but it's mostly an amiable variation on the save-the-ranch plot with a few Stephen Foster type songs thrown in. Frank MacDonald directs for comedy rather than drama, with a funny final fight between cowboys trying to cut down trees while loggers try to stop them.

Easy on the Ears

[dougdoepke · 12 February 2014]

This Autry-Republic entry is more plot-heavy than most. Basically, however, it's the standard matinée premise of baddies trying to swindle land from honest owners. Here, however, the conflict is transferred to southern plantation owners, plus a thoroughbred (Champion) whose ownership keeps changing hands. Nonetheless, Republic works in some good rodeo footage, plus a steeplechase race, of all things. No fast shooting or much hard riding for action fans. Still, there's the big fists and clubs battle at the end. Lots of good songs, especially the Stephen Foster "Old Folks at Home" sung traditional style by a Black folk chorus. Some good bits by Frog Burnette without being buffoonish, and I really like spunky little Mary Lee who's also something of a delightful songbird. All in all, it's excellent Autry entertainment, despite the Negro stereotypes of the time.

A "7" on the matinée rating scale.

"Is this the no-account white trash that scared Valdina?"

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 23 May 2010]

Whoa!!! - did I hear that line right? And Gene's on the receiving end to boot, from black Mammy Etta McDaniel when the Stanhope thoroughbred (that would be Valdina) goes on a tear. That's not the only racial embarrassment in the film when viewed from the vantage point of today's political correctness. There's also Smiley Burnette in black-face posing as said Mammy later in the story. Fortunately the film achieves some balance with an all black song troupe offering up a spiritual rendering of 'Swanee River' followed up by a livelier tune later on. Both were quite well done and enhanced the musical offerings usually left to Gene and one of his cowboy back-up bands.

In a business deal at the center of the story, Gene bails out Southern plantation owner Grandad Stanhope (Eddy Waller) with some rodeo winnings of his after the old coot bets above his head and loses. As collateral, Gene takes possession of Valdina, but comes to realize that the Stanhopes and their neighbor plantation owners are all about to be taken advantage of by Henry Wheeler-dealer (Hardie Albright). The local landowners are unaware that the timber on their property has suddenly acquired market value, and Wheeler wants it all for himself.

After getting off on the wrong foot with Miss Caroline Stanhope (June Storey), Gene begins his investigation to set things right for the locals. As usual, Frog has a sub-plot on the side trying to avoid a gun duel with Colonel Jefferson (Frank Dae) and marriage to his daughter Evangeline (Terry Nibert). There's a third female cast member, Mary Lee as Stanhope sister Patsy, who manages to offer up a couple of songs along the way herself.

Keep an eye on that steeplechase race in which Gene goes up against villain Wheeler. I stopped counting at four over the different types of racetracks the event was taking place on. It started out on a grass field, hit a standard race track, and also managed to include a number of different barriers for the horses to jump. This all might have confused your average horse, which makes sense that Champion sat this one out.

The usual stuff...but in the Carolinas...and with black-face!

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 9 April 2023]

If you've ever wanted to see a Gene Autry movie that is 100% politically incorrect, then you really need to see "Carolina Moon"! It's much of the usual for an Autry film but it's set in the Carolinas...and features Smiley in black-face and other non-PC things that will likely give many folks today a heart attack!

When the story begins, an old jerk makes some bets but hasn't any money. Gene kindly helps him out by buying the old man's horse...but soon the old guy and the horse disappear! So, Gene and Smiley follow them back to their plantation in the Carolinas. Soon, Gene has somehow forgotten he was cheated and just takes the horse back and is about to leave....when he's tricked into staying. Soon you learn that not only the old man is about to lose his plantation but also some other spoiled old man who seems like giant stereotypes of Yosemite Sam. Additionally, you see lots of black people who LOVE their bosses and seem deliriously happy...and sing spirituals with lyrics IMDB won't let me repeat here (suffice to say, the songs are very pro-old south). Later, you learn a young guy is trying to cheat these old men out of their plantations...but, frankly, the old men were pretty awful themselves and I didn't care about their predicament. Oddly, Gene did and helps...even though I could see no reason why. Oh, and did I mention his helping also required Frog (Smiley Burnett) to dress up as a black lady?! Uggh!!

If you ignore all the probably unintentionally racist (but clearly racist) content, what you're left with is just an okay film at best. Gene doesn't sing any of his better songs, the love interest AGAIN hates Gene for no reason for part of the film and the folks Gene helps just seem like crappy (and highly stereotypical) people. Overall, you could do a LOT better watching most any other Autry film.

Less than routine

[JohnHowardReid · 4/10 · 5 September 2015]

I don't like westerns in a contemporary setting. Smiley Burnette and Gene Autry have little opportunity to wear their six-guns. And Smiley's routines consist mainly of a very familiar and so-so running gag (daughter is pursuing him, accompanied by her dad who is threatening Smiley with a shot-gun). Even the climax — which in an Autry western can usually be relied upon to provide some excitement — is very tame indeed. The Autry formula also provides a sequence in which the star's double gallops after a runaway, but that too is most lethargically handled here.

At its best, Frank McDonald's direction might merely be designated thoroughly routine. But in Carolina Moon, Mr. McDonald's efforts could occasionally be described as downright incompetent. Photography, as usual, looks flat and appears washed out. Production values stack up less than average. Fortunately, the tedium is relieved by a few songs (though not as many or as lively as we've come to expect).

Long on talk, short on action. Long on stock footage, short on genuine excitement. Long on hammy acting, very short on personable performances. Long on static, one-dimensional, cardboard characterizations, pitifully short on solid plotting. Long on doomed-to-fail attempts at comedy relief, culpably short on production values. Carolina Moon (despite its attractive title song) is one Autry vehicle which even the star's most devoted fans will be thankful to miss.