Apache Rose (1947) User Reviews

"You better get those silver bullets ready for those ghosts because we're going in."

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 17 May 2006]

Even with a fuzzy washed out print and voices out of sync with lip movements, "Apache Rose" is a fun Western in an uncharacteristic setting. Gabby, Andy and Smiley must have been unavailable because Roy Rogers' sidekick here is Olin Howlin who I haven't seen before. As expected, he provides some of the film's comic relief as Alkali, the old timer with tall tales and a case of the dizzies whenever trouble's close by, which is pretty often.

Dale Evans is on hand as Billie Colby, the owner of a tugboat, the "Apache Rose". Just like her character in "Bells of San Angelo", she and Roy start out at odds with each other, but eventually team up together to bring down a villainous plot to seize the oil rights from rancher Carlos Vega (Russ Vincent). The lead bad guy is Reed Calhoun (George Meeker), owner of a casino boat who's maneuvered Vega into running up a large gambling debt so he can get his hands on Vega's oil rights.

I always get a kick out of seeing Pat Brady in a Rogers' film before he became a mainstay in the TV series. Here he's involved in a Mexican hat dance with a senorita, and leads the charge with a battering ram to break Roy and Alkali out of a wine cellar.

When you stop to think about some of the plot elements offered here, the film winds up being a bit silly. Men in business suits for example, operate out of a cave near the ocean. Near the end of the story, bad guy Calhoun grabs Carlos as a hostage with about two dozen of his ranch hands as witnesses, and when the villains find themselves on the short end of a shootout with Roy and the sheriff, they attempt a getaway with rowboats into the ocean. Not a very smart move with the tide rolling in!

As expected, there are a few musical numbers, and Dale gets to do a solo on her tugboat - 'There's Nothing' Like Coffee in the Morning'. The romantic angle between her character Billie with Roy and Vega isn't adequately resolved by film's end, though all signs point to her getting together with Roy. If you can get past some of the weaker points of the film, you can have a good time with "Apache Rose". Dale Evans is a treat, and gets to share about as much screen time as future husband Roy Rogers.

Roy Finds Oil Where the Sludge Meets the Sea

[Henchman_Number1 · 5/10 · 15 June 2014]

Hoping to secure drilling rights to the oil rich Vega ranch, wildcatter Roy Rogers discovers a scheme hatched by members of a gambling operation to cheat the Vegas (Russ Vincent and Donna Martell) out of their oil rights. Roy teams up with new found sidekick Alkali and tugboat owner Billie Colby (Olin Howland and Dale Evans) to bring down the criminal racket of Reed Calhoun (George Meeker) who runs his operation from a floating casino which resides just out of jurisdiction offshore.

This was Roy's first movie after the departure of Gabby Hayes who as they say, left to pursue other opportunities. Without an apparent backup plan in place the studio plugged in veteran character actor Olin Howland for his one and only pairing as Roy's saddle pal. Actually Howland did a pretty good job. It makes you wonder why he never found a niche in this kind of sidekick role.

Apache Rose is another of Roy's films that was chopped to bits for television. The original 75 minute runtime was cut to 54 minutes. This left close to a third of the movie on the cutting room floor making it almost indecipherable. Apache Rose is still readily available in the full uncut format. It is highly recommended before watching or buying a DVD that you get the unedited version.

Neither one of Roy's best or worst movies. Probably most fans will enjoy though.

5 of 10*

My First Roy Rogers Flick

[michaelgarykelley1994 · 6/10 · 2 November 2018]

My grandfather had mentioned Roy Rogers very few times, but, from what I could always collect, Roy seemed to be pretty popular, back in the day.

I must say, I had a good time with this flick-even as someone who's never watched any work from Rogers. This was fun, humorous, and a little silly, at times (but in a good way). It even manages to get pretty tense, every once in a while! I'm definitly glad my fiancé bought me this five-film box set from a local thrift store we recently found. Very cool stuff, so far, with this first film.

I'm genuinely surprised by how well-made this was.

Roy Rogers is cool, and he can definitely sing (which, oddly enough, I didn't expect so many songs in this fifty-five minute flick). The songs were all enjoyable. Some were even catchy, to a 2018 ear. My favorite character may be Roy's buddy, in this episode. The performance is fantastic by this actor I'm not familiar with, and his slapstick humor is brilliant. Kudos to the fellow, for his hard work. The rest of the supporting cast were impressive, as well.

The fight choreography was actually pretty awesome! I never expected to see a person jump off one horse, only to tackle another guy off his own! Very cool! A lot of this stuff looked super dangerous to pull-off, and I MUST give credit where credit is due.

I enjoyed this quite a lot! If you don't know anything of Roy Rogers, check this one out! If you do, though, I'm not sure if this is better quality than his usual work, or what. I'm just saying: I was impressed by this. "Apache Rose" was, for sure, a good time had.

Blond Dale Evans thinks she can masquerade as a Mexican!

[weezeralfalfa · 4/10 · 16 May 2019]

Apache Rose is the name of blond Dale Evans' tugboat which she uses to transport cargo and people around. Right now she's about to unload some crates of drilling equipment for cowboy prospector Roy Rogers, who just then shows up. He tells her not to unload here, as he wants it 20 miles up the coast. Dale argues that it's a mudflat where her boat would get stuck. They continue to argue until Roy trips Dale so that she goes in the water. Then, Roy's pal Alkali (Olin Howland) shows up with the land owner Carlos Vega. Carlos says he will be glad to lend Roy his wagons to transport his equipment the 20 miles. Carlos also makes an indirect proposal to Dale, who replies that she likes her tug, and he is too addicted to gambling. During the transport, the Sons of the Pioneers show up, and sing "Ride, Vaqueros, Ride"..........Roy and Alkali ride along the edge of the ocean, looking for possible signs of an oil seep. They enter a cave sometimes used to hide stolen cattle, and find an oil seep. A man has been following them, and there is some gun play before he leaves, joining others outside, who drive off. They are henchmen for Reed Calhoun, who owns an offshore casino nearby. Calhoun has also discovered that oil seepage. He hopes to negotiate for oil drilling rights on Carlos's land. He has a hold over Carlos in the $147,000. in gambling IOUs. He tells Carlos he is willing to forget those IOUs if Carlos will give him the drilling rights. Carlos hesitates, says he will have to consult with his half owner partner, who happens to be a Mexican female cousin: Rosa. Calhoun doesn't like this complication, and prepares to bump her off when she arrives. It's only a very short while after Rosa arrives in town, that a sniper on the balcony shoots her, initially seeming fatally. But after taking her inside, it's found she only has an arm injury.........For some crazy reason, blond Dale thought she could make a convincing 'Rosa' for the reception at Carlos's hacienda. Somehow, she found a terrible black wig, and mostly hid behind a thin veil, which Rosa never used. Despite the veil, it should have been obvious that she wasn't Rosa, but supposedly fooled many people She gets in a carriage bound for Carlos's. Somehow, one of Calhoun's henchmen got to be the driver! Also, several others will be waiting along the way, ready to shoot her. But, Roy and the Sons of the Pioneers catch up with the coach, afraid for 'Rosa'. Somehow, he knew that the driver was one of Calhoun's men. Roy jumped in the carriage, and they had a fisticuff until Roy knocked him out of the carriage. Amazingly, the sniper failed to shoot either 'Rosa' or Roy, instead running away Roy returns to look for the driver. He's chasing him when Calhoun's sniper shoots and kills him, but doesn't shoot at Roy!.........At the hacienda, Dale fools mother Felicia, but not Carlos, who knew it was his love. Roy sings "Make a Wish at a Wishing Well", then Conchita dances, partly to the Mexican Hat Dance. Pat Brady, helping to take the place of Gabby Hayes, joins in, dancing crazily, and smashing Bob's hat. Roy talks to 'Rosa' , mostly about Dale, who runs to a room, loosing her wig. When she emerges, Roy puts it on her face. Next, the guests hear a scream, and find 'Rosa' on the floor, passed out, Roy with his gun, declaring that he shot her.(So, where's the blood?). Roy and Alkali are locked in the wine cellar until the sheriff arrives. They sample some of the wares, while the Sons of the Pioneers find a log and prepare to batter the door down. But, on their first try, strangely, the door opens, and they go head long to the other side, Pat in the lead........Earlier, Dale had the Sons of Pioneers dress as Mexicans and sing "Jose" outside a Mexican restaurant. But, the manager detects that they aren't Mexicans, and says "I Fire You". Pat says he can't fire them, because he hasn't hired them. "Ok", he responds "Then, I hire you....Now, I fire you". While Dale is on her tug, she sings "There's Nothing Like Coffee in the Morning", as Roy and Alkali await her coffee........Although shot in Trucolor, apparently the only extant copies are in B&W. At least , some are uncut versions.

Red State Chemistry

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 23 March 2011]

Apache Rose finds Roy Rogers giving up the cowboy life and becoming an oil wildcatter although he still dresses like a cowboy and rides Trigger. He's on the Pacific shores in this film and in some beach caves finds evidence of oil. Not too hard since it's oozing right up from the ground, wouldn't need a geologist to see this one.

The oil is on an old Spanish land grant ranchero owned by Russ Vincent who is in some deep debt to gambler George Meeker. He owns the ranchero but in partnership with cousin Donna Martell. She has to be eliminated before Meeker can squeeze Vincent.

Dale Evans is in this and it would surprise a lot of fans to know that Dale was only in about half of Roy's films. Those are of course the best of the Rogers films, they do have a nice chemistry. On another of their films I said that they were a kind of red state Tracy and Hepburn and that holds true for Apache Rose.

Character actor Olin Howland had the sidekick role in this one and while he's all right, you do miss Gabby Hayes or Andy Devine.

Definitely one for fans of Roy and Dale.

Unintentionally hilarious.

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 16 October 2012]

I don't care how much of a fan you are of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans--you've got to admit that this is a very bad film. In fact, it's the only film they made that truly made my skin crawl...it's THAT bad. Why is it so bad? Well, a pretty senorita is hurt very badly and Dale comes up with an insane plan--to don a black wig and pose as a Mexican!! I think that the Swedish Chef would have been more convincing! She is, to put it bluntly, absolutely terrible. Later, for no apparent reason, Roy tells everyone that he's killed the senorita--and I have absolutely no idea why! On top of that, the writing isn't very good and there is the usual Rogers/Evans cliché where they meet and hate each other. A bad film in just about every way...and dumb, dumb, dumb to boot.

A Black Eye for Apache Rose

[wes-connors · 1/10 · 7 September 2007]

Roy Rogers is an oil prospector who wants to get rights to drill for oil on a promising piece of land. Dale Evans (as Billie) sails a local tugboat named "Apache Rose" and Olin Howlin is Mr. Rogers' lovable old codger friend "Alkali". Bob Nolan and the "Sons of the Pioneers" are around when necessary. Gamblers aboard the boat "Casino Del Mar" aka "S.S. Casino" are the main adversaries, led by nasty George Meeker (as Reed Calhoun). This film is very poorly performed and presented by Rogers and company. Ms. Evans is absurd as a disguised Senorita, and her song "There's Nothing' Like Coffee in the Morning" looks like a breakfast commercial try-out. Mr. Howlin's quickly disappearing "black eye" might have been better placed on the entire disjointed production.

* Apache Rose (2/15/47) William Witney ~ Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Olin Howland, George Meeker

Roy Rogers fans are likely to appreciate this a lot more

[kergillian · 4/10 · 22 May 2001]

I'm not a huge fan of Roy Rogers, though he has a lovely voice (and Dale Evans was CUTE!!). I don't particularly like musical westerns and singing cowboys (especially Gene Autry). And this is a fairly typical Roy Rogers film. The plot is interesting enough (and the film short enough) to keep one going, but thee films were churned out a mile a minute to keep the public happy and the dollars rolling rolling rolling, so they weren't exactly high on quality. I really didn't like his sidekick Alkali (played by Olin Howlin) which didn't help much. But Roy was good as usual, Trigger was beautiful as usual, Dale Evans was CUTE as usual, but the film didn't live up to others of his, or my expectations.

Overall: I've seen better, I've seen worse. He beats Gene Autry by a mile but I prefer his TV show. Roy Rogers fans will probably like this a whole hell of a lot more...4/10.

pleasantly subtle differences

[KDWms · 8/10 · 3 January 2004]

Songs not so western-sounding; Dale and Roy initially at odds; coastal setting; believable, interesting story with intelligent humor - elements of this film which favorably impressed me, without a "try-too-hard-to-be-different" result. "Apache Rose" is the name of a small boat, skippered by Dale. Oil prospector Roy dislikes Dale's delivery plans for his equipment, but, eventually, they warm up to each other, with disguised Dale actually assisting to apprehend the villainous Reed Calhoun, who operates a casino-boat and covets oil-rich land owned by Dale's suitor - the gambling-indebted Carlos Vega, and his sister from out-of-town, Rosa. Some of the comic relief is aptly provided by the bumbling, years-worn, Roy-admirer, Alkali. After twelve years of pretty-much formulaic Roy Rogers movies - which, by this time numbered around 75 - it's nice to see one which is not quite the same as many of them, but doesn't overdo the uncharacteristic.

Passable Rogers Vehicle

[boblipton · 5/10 · 13 July 2023]

Oil wildcatter Roy Rogers can smell the oil on Russ Vincent's rancho. He likes the idea, but needs the agreement of his cousin, Donna Martell. Meanwhile, Vincent owes gambler George Meeker a lot of money -- his gambling is why Dale Evans keeps turning down his marriage proposals. Meeker sees a way to add oil interests to his gambling ship, and getting rid of cousin Donna is a simple way of doing it.

The credits say it's a color film, but the otherwise excellent print is in black-and-white. Roy sings two of the five songs, and Olin Howland and Minerval Urecal offer some mediocre comic relief. It's certainly not among the best of the Roy Rogers vehicles, but his fans will be pleased to see it anyway.