The ridiculous part of Singing Guns is the song "Mule Train" that was one of the biggest hits of the year and nominated at the Academy Awards. It's terrible! It makes "Buttons and Bows" sound complex. Singer Vaughn Monroe only made two movies, and in his screen debut he sings "Mule Train". If you can get past those few minutes and cut the lead actor some slack because he's actually not an actor, you might like this western.
The premise is really sweet: an outlaw gets a second chance and accidentally becomes the sheriff of the town he was targeting. Vaughn is the bandit, and sheriff Ward Bond is determined to catch up to him. When they have a showdown and Ward gets fatally shot, Vaughn feels a little sorry for his nemesis. He carries him to a doctor, Walter Brennan, and gives him a blood transfusion. Walter, a God-fearing man always out to save a soul, concocts a new image for Vaughn and suggests he should take Ward's job until he's back on his feet. While under a new identity, will Vaughn see the good in acting good?
If it weren't for the romance, I would have really liked this movie. It's a cute story, and the supporting characters keep you guessing as to whether or not they know who Vaughn really is and are just pretending to believe he's a good guy. However, Ella Raines, a local poker champ and dance hall girl, starts taking too much of a shine to Vaughn. Is she after his secret stash of gold, or is she really going to leave her boyfriend (Ward Bond!) for his replacement? It was obvious that the meet-cute of the two leads who dislike each other on sight would be paired up together, but I just didn't understand why Ella would stray from Ward. Attractive, protective, respectable, brave, and affectionate - there's no reason for her to even look at anyone else. Also, Ward was a beloved sheriff, so it wasn't Vaughn's competence at his job that made her notice him. If you don't really care, or if you're not loyal to Ward, give this one a shot. Just know it's going to be a little corny and pop it in for a matinee.
The premise is really sweet: an outlaw gets a second chance and accidentally becomes the sheriff of the town he was targeting. Vaughn is the bandit, and sheriff Ward Bond is determined to catch up to him. When they have a showdown and Ward gets fatally shot, Vaughn feels a little sorry for his nemesis. He carries him to a doctor, Walter Brennan, and gives him a blood transfusion. Walter, a God-fearing man always out to save a soul, concocts a new image for Vaughn and suggests he should take Ward's job until he's back on his feet. While under a new identity, will Vaughn see the good in acting good?
If it weren't for the romance, I would have really liked this movie. It's a cute story, and the supporting characters keep you guessing as to whether or not they know who Vaughn really is and are just pretending to believe he's a good guy. However, Ella Raines, a local poker champ and dance hall girl, starts taking too much of a shine to Vaughn. Is she after his secret stash of gold, or is she really going to leave her boyfriend (Ward Bond!) for his replacement? It was obvious that the meet-cute of the two leads who dislike each other on sight would be paired up together, but I just didn't understand why Ella would stray from Ward. Attractive, protective, respectable, brave, and affectionate - there's no reason for her to even look at anyone else. Also, Ward was a beloved sheriff, so it wasn't Vaughn's competence at his job that made her notice him. If you don't really care, or if you're not loyal to Ward, give this one a shot. Just know it's going to be a little corny and pop it in for a matinee.