the audience applauded

Brilliant and touching

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

This entry is about as lively and entertaining as the Roy Roger's westerns ever achieved. Admittedly, the use of Trucolor (which looks a whole lot more attractive on the Republic/Duke DVD than it ever looked on theater screens or TV) - plus classy shooting (in both meanings of that word) on real locations - adds immeasurably to the movie's appeal. The cast is outstanding too. Roy Rogers never gave a more ingratiating performance, and he is well supported by cute (if undersized) Dale Evans who gives an animated and quite sparkling account of her Lee Madison. Andy Devine is also along for the ride, although the scriptwriter never seems quite sure whether to portray Andy as Roy's comic sidekick or as a vigorous and highly reliable action support. (The latter seems to win out, a turn-up that will probably disappoint many of Andy's fans. But it didn't worry me, I hasten to say!) According to the DVD, the movie runs 13O minutes. Someone can't count! That figure would translate to more than two hours and twelve minutes in movie theaters. On the other hand, Republic's press sheet argues 78 minutes which would translate to no more than 76 minutes on a DVD, which seems about right!

While I enjoy Roy Rogers movies, I must admit that one of the shortcomings in them is that they were generally geared towards kids--and the violence was way, way under-emphasized. Roy and the gang didn't shoot baddies--they beat them up and turned them over to the law. Or, if they shot anyone, it was usually the way the Lone Ranger did it--in the hand! However, "Bells of San Angelo" is a welcome change and the film is unabashedly violent...very, very violent. And, because of this, it's among Rogers' better films.The film is a bit unusual because it's in color. Unfortunately, the color is very muddy and unattractive. On the other hand, at least the copy of the film I downloaded for free at archive.org was the full film--not the shortened to fit TV time slot versions you often find."Bells of San Angelo" finds Roy and the Sons of the Pioneers coming into town to help the sheriff (Andy Devine) get to the bottom of a shooting. The mine owner says it was justified--Roy and the gang think there is way more to the shooting and decide to investigate. Along the way, a western writer (Dale Evans) comes to town to visit and, uncharacteristically, Dale is nice and not stupid--and Roy is the dumbbell here. He assumes she CAN'T be the author since she's a woman and he also assumes books about the old west are worthless! By the end of the film, she, of course, proves him wrong.So what about all this violence I mentioned? Well, in the big finale, one of the baddies is launched off a cliff and it looks amazingly real when he hits. Another is shot and killed by Roy. And, both are mangled a bit by dogs just before this! I loved it as it really set the usual formula on its ear. The same can be said for Devine, as usually the sidekicks are pretty passive and not much help--but Devine occasionally kicks the snot out of people! Now compared to a non-Roy Rogers film, this picture isn't that violent--but compared to the usual sanitized view of the west in his films, this IS pretty surprising and a welcome relief.

To all of my learned comrades that posted comments insulting the late, great Roy Rogers & Dale Evans, I say from the bottom of my pea-picking, reminiscing-good old days heart, PPPPPPTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL! I honestly do realize that the color quality isn't exactly top shelf, most of the acting is sub-par & the plots are tissue paper transparent, but who gives a horses saddle bag? I love each and every dusty one of them. And this includes the 50s TV show with sidekick Pat Brady and Nellie Belle the jeep. Yes, Gaby Hayes is the best sidekick ever! I grew up watching R.R. He brought to the youth of my time, "truth, justice & the American way"! I stole that quote, by the way. It brings me back to my childhood, which I guess was worse than these movies were. Maybe that is why I enjoyed them so much. PapaLarry H

Bells Of San Angelo finds Roy Rogers working as a border 'investigator' on the USA/Mexico border. Assisting him is sheriff Andy Devine of the county. There have been some murders of some Mexican nationals on the American side in and around a mine that John McGuire and David Sharpe run. This is far from the Mexican border today where we are preoccupied with illegal immigration. At this time in the Hollywood modern west, people just seem to be coming back and forth across the border at will with no one really asking questions. Roy's very good friends with Catholic Padre on the other side, Fritz Lieber. In fact it is Lieber who comes to Roy asking him and Devine to look into the murders.We've got two more complicating factors in the plot. A western writer is coming to town with the highly androgynous name of Lee Madison and Roy and the Sons of the Pioneers think its some tenderfoot who just wants to stick his nose in for material. They don't need no tenderfeet tagging along on a serious investigation and resolve to do something about it. Of course Lee Madison is the pen name for Helen Clifford who is played by Dale Evans and she keeps her identity a secret to play along with the gags Roy and the boys are cooking up. I said in another review of one of their films that Roy and Dale play like a pair of red state Tracy and Hepburn. The dialog ain't classic, but all in all it's not too bad either. It was part of their appeal on the screen.The other complication is Olaf Hytten arriving from Great Britain looking to locate some missing person who turns out to be Andy Devine. Not knowing exactly what he wants, Devine is scared about revealing himself, but Roy guesses right away something's afoot.All this plot is packaged rather nicely into a 78 minute running time for Bells Of San Angelo. Of course Roy finds out exactly what the story is and the culprits are brought to justice. But as for what the racket was and what happens with Dale and Andy you have to see Bells Of San Angelo.You'll love the fox hunt the gang arranges for Hytten.