Oh, Susanna! (1936). In this unusual but even more ridiculously far-fetched plot, Gene Autry, would you believe, is wanted for murder? Perhaps Republic boss, Herb Yates, firmly believed that Texas lawmen were not only corrupt but incredibly stupid? Never mind, just sit back and enjoy the fast action. Director Joe Kane even has a couple of speeding cars run over the camera! This time, Smiley Burnette teams up with Earle Hodgins to provide not only comedy relief but acting support for Autry's rather stoic hunted man. And railroad buffs will have a ball at the beginning of the movie when the villain's very obvious double boards a moving train from horseback!

Uh Oh, it's Gene who gets thrown from a train, not the bad guy. In fact it's bad guy Wolf who's done it to escape the law and assume Gene's identity. So, our hero spends the rest of the movie getting back his real name and putting Wolf where he belongs.Good Autry mix, with songs, scenery, and flying fists. Some good touches as well, like Gene's scattering walk down Main Street where everybody thinks he's the bad guy. And how about that chase where Gene and the bad guy use roadsters instead of horses. The process photography may be fuzzy but the results are still a hoot. Also, pairing big talker Hodgins with portly Burnette is good for some laughs, but note that neither is mocked in his comedic role. And, wow, I don't think I've seen faster fingers than the '...Crust Boys jamming away on one of their numbers. I guess my only gripe is not seeing more of the Alabama Hills and their rocky spires; only nature's hand can carve such mighty sculptures. Anyway, the hour's a fun slice of old time matinees for us front row geezers, thanks to a rather hefty Gene Autry.

Gene Autry films are often rather strange westerns. That's because in many cases, the film were set in modern times with an odd mixture of the past. So, you might see Gene chasing a pickup truck while on horseback or someone calling the sheriff on the telephone! In this case it's even weirder because Autry plays himself! While no mention is made of his movies, Autry plays a radio and recording star named Gene Autry! Now considering that he had a great voice (better than Roy Rogers' in my opinion) and sang many classics such as "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer", making him a famous singer was a case of art imitating life!The film begins with a guy from death row escaping and sneaking onto the train where Autry is traveling for a radio broadcast. The crook bashes Autry over the head, trades clothes and tosses him out the window! Soon, folks recognize the clothes and think Autry is the escaped con and lock him up--and are planning on hanging him! It's only with the help of his two new friends (one includes the old familiar Smiley Burnett) does he escape. However, in the meantime, the crook is posing as Gene and kills a man--so the authorities are looking for both of them! Can Gene manage to prove his innocence? Can he be persuaded to sing a few songs (what do you think?!)? The film is a bit surreal but fun. And, while I never thought I'd say this, but I liked the music a lot. Overall, while not a great B-western, it is unusual and likable...and a bit weird! By the way, Fred Toones is billed as 'Snowflake'. It's a sad and derogatory thing that because he was black he didn't even merit having his name in the credits--just this awful nickname.

This is a fairly early film from Gene Autrys career.I bought the VHS by air mail.I have to say that the manufacturers have copied from a very battered print.So much so that the film is stated to be 59 minutes in length but in fact is only 53 minutes.I have to say that the fact that it is entertaining is despite not because of the screenplay.The plot hinges on the fact that nobody can recognized Autry and therefore accept that because an escaped murderer has changed clothes with him he is the murderer and vice versa.At the end there is a fight on a moving car which defies logic.However there are the usual quota of songs,although i believe that one or two may be missing.To conclude it will entertain you if you are an enthusiast of Western films.Otherwise you would be better off spending 53minutes digging in the garden.