wes-connors With "The Great Southwestern Tent Show" in town, cowboy king Roy Rogers (as Roy Rogers) learns a featured attraction, his singing "Sons of the Pioneers" pals, have a $10,000 I.O.U. debt due. From sleepwalking constable Andy Devine (as Cookie Bullfincher), Mr. Rogers learns about a convenient $10,000 reward for the capture of a bandit known as "The Gypsy". Rogers wants to capture the Spanish outlaw, and pay off his friends' debt. But, Rogers' target, Tito Guízar (as Rico), may not be the guiltiest gun in the west… This colorful "cross-over" western for singing cowboys Rogers and Mr. Guízar is better than "The Gay Ranchero" (1948), a similar vehicle. Pretty Dale Evans stand-in Jane Frazee (as Candy Martin) arouses romantic feelings in both men; she has an amusing introductory scene, with Rogers collecting her undergarments from a fallen suitcase - watch as he holds her slip in his teeth! Estelita Rodriguez (as Lola) is memorable. The songs are smooth and forgettable, except for Ms. Rodriguez' lively "Guadalajara". The ending is well staged.***** On the Old Spanish Trail (1947) William Witney ~ Roy Rogers, Tito Guízar, Estelita Rodriguez

bkoganbing Sad to say that I saw a truncated version of On the Old Spanish Trail, one that must have been edited for television as a previous reviewer mentioned. And it was black and white.What little I saw convinced me it was a good film with both lots of music and a good plot if you could fill in the blanks.There was a sequence missing, but alluded to in the film I saw about Andy Devine believing he dreamed he saw the villains trying to break Tito Guizar out of jail. If so it must have been a very funny sequence as only the befuddled Mr. Devine could make it.Because we had not only Roy Rogers, but Tito Guizar and pinch hitting for Dale, Jane Frazee there was a lot more singing in this than normal. Great for those who like singing cowboys.I believe Dale might have been on family leave from Republic. She and Roy had only one natural child from their marriage, they adopted two others, and she and Roy both had kids from their previous marriages. (Yes they were married to others, Roy's wife died and Dale was divorced from her first husband). Jane Frazee though is a fine musical performer and fills Dale's cowgirl outfits out just fine. Roy and Dale's child would have been born around the time this and a succeeding film came out. Best song of the picture is the title tune. Both Rogers and Gene Autry recorded extensively from their films, though Gene had far better success as a recording artist than Roy did. If you get to see On the Old Spanish Trail, try to see a full length version.

Michael O'Keefe William Witney directs Roy Rogers as he and Trigger join a traveling carnival in hopes of paying off a $10,000 note he co-signed for the Sons of the Pioneers. There is another source of funds...capture the mysterious desperado known as "The Gypsy"(Tito Guizar). Plenty of action and song. Roy, being the 'Singing Cowboy', of course sings; as well as Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers. There is limited comic relief from Constable Bullfincher(Andy Devine). Also in the cast: Jane Frazee, Estelita Rodriguez and Fred Graham. This is one of my favorite Roy Rogers flicks. I can't really pinpoint why...just the atmosphere I guess. Running 75 minutes, ON the Old Spanish TRAIL is worth your time.

brownrainjacket This movie was very corny and fun to watch. I'd never seen a Roy Rogers picture before, but my expectations were not disappointed. The stage chases really seem fast-paced, like a big budget Mummy movie. But really, the stuntmen were very good (with horses). Roy is kind of a dope, but fulfills the classic trusting cowboy a baby boomer would need for a hero. (My dad) Jane Frazee is pretty hot in black and white. But the silver screen was a sexy thing. Tito Guizar's voice is quite beautiful, singing clear melodies that remind me of old, pasty, pre-bugs bunny cartoons and merry old England for some reason. Anyway, it's worth a middle of the night view - and if you're going on your 3rd day of awake, it's entertaining. Dopey happy endings that would make John Wayne's reversable, matching red and blue flannels jealous.