Director: JOSEPH KANE. Original screenplay: Winton Miller. Photography: Reggie Lanning. Film editor: Tony Martinelli. Art director: Russell Kimball. Set decorator: Charles Thompson. Songs: "Mexicali Rose" (Rogers), words and music by H. Stone and J.B. Tenney; "Moonlight and Roses" (Rogers), words and music by Ben Black and Neil Moret; "Ay-yi Ay-yi-yi" (Alex Nehera Dancers, sung by Bob Nolan, reprized by Roy Rogers, both with the Sons of the Pioneers), traditional; "There's a Rainbow Over the Range" (Rogers, Nolan, and the Sons of the Pioneers). Music director: Morton Scott. Sound recording: Fred Stahl. RCA Sound System. Associate producer: Harry Grey. Executive producer: Herbert J. Yates.Copyright 2 June 1943 by Republic Pictures Corp. No New York release. U.S. release: 14 June 1943. Australian release: 3 February 1944. 8 reels. 6,567 feet. 73 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Roy Rogers pretends a has-been rodeo rider is a partner in his ranch to impress has-been's daughter.COMMENT: Although not officially credited, it's obvious that the 2nd unit action in this film - a race between chuck-wagons, a moonlight chase after rustlers culminating in a spirited rescue of the heroine from a runaway horse, and finally a second race between chuck-wagons which easily trebles the thrills of the first - was directed by Yakima Canutt. This first-class material, thrillingly angled and excitingly stunted, makes the rest of the film look good. Even Mr Slye is quite tolerable, sings with dash and acts with heart. Of course the story is a bit out of the rut, and it's agreeably played by a top-line cast including Barton MacLane as the chief villain, Sheila Ryan as an unusually purposeful heroine, Arline Judge and Pat Brady as comic relief. The songs are pleasant standards, the Sons are in fine voice. Comparatively handsome production credits include bright photography and pacey film editing. True, the interior sets are typical Poverty Row, but the budget-stretching exteriors are atmospherically awesome. Even Kane's direction is crisp and has a modicum of style.Despite the familiar-sounding title, one of Rogers' best westerns.

This story has a great opening scene in which Roy marches Trigger down the corridor of a children's hospital, then proceeds to entertain the kids with a song and a routine with the Smartest Horse in the Movies. I'm not so sure something like this would have been allowed under real circumstances, but it went a long way to show just what a genuine guy Roy Rogers could be. His interaction with the kids was so natural and appealing that it's no wonder he was a hero to a generation of youngsters.Story wise, there are a few elements that don't quite pass muster either, especially from the vantage point of present day. Sue Bennett's (Sheila Ryan) partnership agreement between Roy and her father (Harry Shannon) would have been suspect right from the get-go with anyone familiar with Roy and his real partners, The Sons of the Pioneers. Then, when she goes ahead and sells her father's share, there should have been red flags thrown all over the place. But this was a simpler time and made for a simpler audience, so the plausibility factor didn't seem to be much of a concern.In addition to a handful of songs, there are a couple of chuckwagon races to bookend the picture that are actually quite exciting, especially the one to close out the story. The prize agreement between Roy and villain Jim Calvert (Barton MacLane) is full ownership of the Pioneers' Ranch to the winner, and it's no coincidence that Roy's team consists of all white horses. There's a head scratcher of sorts though before it's all over; Roy engages in a bit of skullduggery to torpedo one of the rival wagons, but since it was Calvert's entry I guess it was OK.More than any other Rogers flick I've seen that includes the Sons of the Pioneers, this one gives Pat Brady quite a prominent role as a sidekick. Brady offers a fair share of comic relief, and in an unusual move, gets to pair off with Sue Bennett's back East girlfriend Hildegarde (Arline Judge). He really bowled me over with a line he used to win her over at the finale - "For a top hand, my kisses are slow murder!"

Sad to say that I saw the edited for television of Song Of Texas and a lot of the story involving plot motivation was missing. I might have given this film a star or two higher if I had seen the director's cut.Roy Rogers who is the star performer of the Calvert Brothers rodeo is planning to leave because he does not like the way brothers Barton MacLane and William Haade operate. Especially after he sees the way they treat down on his luck former rodeo star Harry Shannon. Roy and Sons of the Pioneers retire to the ranch they're starting.But Roy goes overboard in his charity when he finds out that Shannon has a daughter coming to see him who thinks he's an owner of the ranch. Daughter Sheila Ryan who arrives with friend Arline Judge is a savvy businesswoman from the east and she wants the 'partnership' that Roy has with Shannon put on a business basis. Her interference nearly costs Roy and the boys everything they've worked for.Vocal highlight of the film is Roy at the beginning visiting a Children's Hospital and singing Mexicali Rose to a young visiting girl patient from Mexico. Although Bing Crosby had the hit record of that song, Roy warbles it real pretty.Not a bad Roy Rogers film, but try to see the unedited version.

I loved the opening scene where he is playing himself in the children's hospital ward. Every detail, even down to the "assistant" who is trying to hurry him along, they are running late on their schedule. it seems almost like today's reality TV, only actually REAL. He seems to genuinely like kids, and it shows through, no acting. (obviously, since he either had or adopted so many of them in real life.) He seems to have been a very nice guy, bringing his horse and all into the children's ward room and getting Trigger to do tricks. Then it flashes back to "the past" where he was a rodeo rider etc and plays out the story, where once again, he plays a decent guy trying to help out a friend; from there it pretty much descends into formulaic B Western, although I did notice the nod to the changing role of women, the friend's daughter is a single, modern, rather pushy girl who works in New York as a bookkeeper for a company that does a "Half million dollars a month turnover!"