Customer Reviews

Springtime in the Sierras [VHS]

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There are several Roy Rogers movies listed as being in color on VHS when they are not. They are the videos by Alpha Omega Publications dated Oct. 19, 2004. This is one of those that is in B&W and not in color.

Springtime in the Sierras, 1947 film

The movie begins with riders and horses. A stray fawn is rescued and take to an animal sanctuary. An organized gang of poachers hunts wild game in this area. The meat is sold to the wealthy. It deprives every American of their right to hunt. Bert challenges Roy to a fight. Roy pulls a prank with flash powder. [Out of character?] There is a song by Roy while he plays the guitar. A man shoots a doe in the woods. Roy chases this poacher but loses him in the woods. The game warden catches the gang, but someone catches him! They will make it look like an accident. Roy questions Bert. They sing at the funeral. Roy explains why the death was a murder: the gun was in Foster's right hand. Bert was unhappy with his previous job. Jean plans a celebration on her "Lazy W" ranch; its part of a trick to become a respected citizen. Jean has a pre-war imported rifle, its ammunition is scarce. Roy checks it.

Roy questions Bert about Captain Foster's death. There is a fight. [Impromptu entertainment?] "Never trust a fat man." What do they know about Jean and her friend Matt? A refrigerating plant? Geese, ducks, and venison are worth more than beef. Roy tells his suspicions to Kathy. Roy has a plan to learn more. Like a good confidence man, he manipulates Jean to do what he wants. But does this move fall into Jean's plans? The song "What are you going to do then" reminds us when people had no retirement pension. Roy finds the hidden freezer with venison, Jean and Matt find him. There is another fight, Roy is captured and left in the freezer. A frozen body in the hills will be another accident! Bert left Jean, but is lured back to the ranch. Will they try to make it look like another accident? Can Roy and Bert escape from cold storage? Cookie has a plan too. Things start to go wrong for Jean and Matt. Cookie's truck is like a Trojan Horse!

Roy is pursued by Jean's gang, and they are followed by Cookie and Roy's friends. [A chase is always part of an action movie; you know the movie will soon end.] Kathy catches u pto Jean, Roy catches up to Matt. The good guys triumph. There is a song about the end of the day. Kathy will leave the area.

It was unusual in these movies to have a murdering villainess in charge of a gang. [A novelty to attract audiences?] Could poaching be a lucrative business in place of stolen cattle? This story about illegally obtained goods could have been located elsewhere. Was the claim that using a telescopic sight isn't "sporting" true then? Does its anti-poaching story make it a message movie?

75 minute version: Full length film. Absolutely first rate. Perhaps my favorite of any western, ever.

54 minute version: TV edit, done in the 1960's. Cut to run for one hour, with commercials. This is the version usually available nowdays. Not good at all. Important plot developments removed.

The 75 minute version is out there, if you look hard enough.

Republic Pictures presents "SPRINGTIME IN THE SIERRAS" (15 July 1947) (75 mins/B&W/Color) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- Roy Rogers (born Leonard Slye) moved to California in 1930, at the age of 18 --- played in such musical groups as The Hollywood Hillbillies, Rocky Mountaineers, Texas Outlaws and his own group, the International Cowboys --- In 1934 he formed a group with Bob Nolan and Tim Spencer called "Sons of the Pioneers" --- While in that group he was known as Leonard Slye, then Dick Weston and finally Roy Rogers --- Their songs included "Cool Water" and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" --- They first appeared in the western "Rhythm on the Range" (1936), starring Bing Crosby --- In 1937 Roy went solo and made his first starring film in 1938, "Under Western Stars" (1938) --- He made almost 100 films --- then came television, "The Roy Rogers Show" (1951) ran on CBS from October 1951 through September 1964.

Under William Witney (Director), Edward J. White (Producer), Sloan Nibley (Screenwriter), Jack A. Marta (Cinematographer), Jack Elliott (Songwriter), Bob Nolan (Songwriter), Morton Scott (Musical Direction/Supervision), Tim Spencer (Songwriter), Tony Martinelli (Editor), Frank Arrigo (Art Director) - - - - Our story line and plot, In a story with a conservation theme, Roy breaks up a gang of poachers dealing in fancy game --- Jane Frazee replaces Dale Evans as heroine, and the script provides a second woman as the lead villain --- William Witney directs an amazing climax when Roy and one of the male heavies battle each other with empty rifles while on horseback --- The fight between Roy and Barcroft in the freezer is very well handled by director Witney mainly because of free camera movement even in the cramped quarters --- Must recommend the Happy Trails DVD's to you --- Each one has new information about Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and each actor or director in the film --- If you are a Roy Rogers and Dale Evans fan like me you will totally enjoy all the extra footage showing Roy and Dale going to parades and visiting children in hospitals, the story of Roy proposing marriage to Dale, and more inside info also about the family --- Each film starts out with Roy and Dale seated on a small stage back around 1987 talking about the sagebrush films they are showing --- some wonderful tunes, SPRINGTIME IN THE SIERRAS -- A COWBOY HAS TO SING -- IMAGINE ME -- WHAT A PICTURE I WOULD MAKE -- SEEING NELLIE HOME -- WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN I GET OLD & GRAY -- PEDRO FROM ACAPULCO.

the cast includes
Roy Rogers ... Roy Rogers
Trigger ... "Smartest Horse in the Movies"
Jane Frazee ... Taffy Baker
Andy Devine ... Cookie Bullfincher
Stephanie Bachelor ... Jean Loring
Harold Landon ... Bert Baker (as Hal Landon)
Harry Cheshire ... Captain Foster (as Harry V. Cheshire)
Roy Barcroft ... Matt Wilkes
Chester Conklin ... Old Timer
Hank Patterson ... Old Timer
Whitey Christy ... Henchman
Pascale Perry ... Henchman
Bob Nolan ... Musician (as Bob Nolan and The Sons of the Pioneers)
Sons of the Pioneers ... Musicians, ranch hands
Pat Brady ... Pat (Sons of the Pioneers)
Tommy Coats ... Henchman (uncredited)
Hugh Farr ... Hugh (Sons of the Pioneers)
Karl Farr ... Musician (Sons of the Pioneers)
Shug Fisher ... Musician (Sons of the Pioneers)
Bob Woodward ... Henchman

BIOS:
1. Roy Rogers (aka: Leonard Franklin Slye)
Date of Birth: 5 November 1911 - Cincinnati, Ohio
Date of Death: 6 July 1998 - Apple Valley, California

2. Andy Devine
Date of Birth: 7 October 1905, Flagstaff, Arizona
Date of Death: 18 February 1977, Orange, California

3. William Witney (Director)
Date of Birth: 15 May 1915 - Lawton, Oklahoma
Date of Death: 17 March 2002 - Jackson, California

Check out a new book from Empire Publishing - "THE ROY ROGERS BOOK: A REFERENCE TRIVIA SCRAPBOOK" (Paperback) --- reference trivia scrapbook of Roy Rogers written by Western film historian David Rothel whose accounts of thrilling adventures of B-Western heroes during the Saturday matinees of yesteryear takes us back to our childhood, family and friends --- this is a wish come true, reliving those wonderful years from the past through the pen of David Rothel --- Roy was a top box office draw for Republic Pictures when you went to see him on the big screen, you got exactly what the marquee said --- plenty of thrills, action and hard riding with a song or two thrown in for good measure --- Elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1980 as a member of the "Sons of the Pioneers" and elected again in 1988 as Roy Rogers "King of the Cowboys" --- Roy got his horse "Trigger" in 1938 and rode him in every one of his films and TV shows after that --- "Trigger" died in 1965 age of thirty-three --- Roy's dog's name was "Bullet" and appeared in almost as many of his films as "Trigger" did --- Roy's theme song, "Happy Trails", was written by Queen of the West and his wife Dale Evans --- inducted (with his wife Dale Evans) into the "Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum" in 1976 --- inducted as a member of the "Sons of the Pioneers into the "Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum" in 1995 just three years before his death --- Don't miss this one --- now appearing on Amazon and Empire Publishing --- Don't hesitate - rush out and pick up your copy today --- Great reading in the days and weeks to come --- I guarantee it!

Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") as they have rekindled my interest once again for Film Noir, B-Westerns and Serials --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s & '40s and B-Westerns ... order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on DVD --- stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with musical adventure --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out Amazon where they are experts in releasing B-Westerns --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 75 min on VHS/DVD ~ Republic Pictures ~ (12/31/1969)