alan-pratt
Tex , Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys all seem pretty matey. They spend large chunks of this movie roaring with laughter and back slapping for no obvious reason.It doesn't matter though because their obvious enjoyment of everything that isn't happening is infectious! To supplement the (better than average) musical numbers, there is an assortment of standard B western ingredients, apparently chucked in at random with little regard for credibility.In one scene, comic relief Slim Andrews is trapped inside a Tardis-type paybooth, lassooed and dragged across the prairie by bad guys after the concert takings. Incidentally, the character he plays is Slim Hunkapillar. What a great name! Can't be too many of those in West London: Hunkapillars I mean, not Slims.
398
"Take Me Back to Oklahoma" has all the makings of a below average "B" oater. The plot is the old wheeze about the villain trying to run the heroine out of her stagecoach business so he can grab the franchise for himself. The script is thin with only one minor character, an ex-con who throws in with the hero, rising above the all-good or all-bad stereotypes. The acting by the supporting cast is mediocre, with the heroine vapid, and the bad guys a faceless bunch, having none of the evil charisma a Harry Woods or a Roy Barcroft or a Charles King brought to such roles. So the movie sucks and don't watch it? Not at all. "Take Me Back to Oklahoma" is more entertaining than about 90% of the flicks out there. It was filmed outdoors for the most part and the camera catches several lovely vistas. Sidekick Slim Andrews, with deadpan help from star Tex Ritter, has some amusing moments. A wild stagecoach chase at the beginning and an exciting stagecoach race at the climax are superbly handled. Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys are on hand to join with Ritter and the resulting music is wonderful. I think there were seven numbers and all are good with "You Are My Sunshine" and "Take Me Back to Tulsa" classics which bridge the years. I have listened to CD's of Bob Wills with pleasure and it is a treat to see him perform in his prime. This movie is a must for fans of old-timey western swing like myself.All in all, great music and strong action make this a fun "B" western.
bill-688
The scene with Bob Wills and his band riding on top of a stage coach strumming a tune is priceless. Tex Ritter is in fine form saving the little lady's property and snaring the bad guys. Ritter, who has a trusty side kick to add a little slapstick to the plot, sings and so does Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. To any Wills fan this is an excellent opportunity to see how the band looked in a performance. Wills' dancing is not unlike some modern performers. Good entertainment and a great reminder of how Westerns once were in the U.S. This is the kind of movie I spent countless Saturday afternoons seeing and sometimes staying over to see again. Without the music this is about average; with the music it is priceless.
pmcenea
This B Western has it all - a really shaky frame-up, a posse chase aborted for no apparent reason, a stagecoach race featuring not one, but two coach top fights and a disintegrating wheel on the winning coach. It also has the music of Tex Ritter and of Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. That and some funny bits here and there earned this movie a 4.