Roy Rogers, the singing cowboy, is back in this action-packed adventure in which it falls on him to help restore law and order to the city of Deadwood. Joining him is his friend Professor Gabby Blackstone (Gabby Hayes) who runs a medicine show. His daughter, called Princess Laughing Eyes in the show, sings as does Roy. The princess’ real name is Sally Blackstone.
Roy and Gabby are pressed to make sure the business of Deadwood is practiced fairly as there are certain businessmen in Deadwood who like to scare away any competition. Roy, once known as Brett Starr, is now known as Bill Brady. The biggest culprit in Deadwood is entrepreneur “Henchman Ripper” (Hal Taliaferro), who has his men shoot at Bill and Gabby and Sally, to get them out of town.
A newspaperman, Ted Carver (Henry Brandon), works alongside news writer Linda Barrett (Carol Adams) to try and learn who is behind the scare tactics, which proves to be a challenge. When Bill (Roy) and Linda meet, they seem drawn to one another, and the question becomes whether they will wind up as a couple or not.
A cold-blooded murder has taken place in the local store and Bill attempts to put the evidence together so he can nail the murderer. Once again, the competition seems to be murdered off in Deadwood. Some nice moments are added to the mystery and the gunfire when Bill (Roy) sings a memorable song titled Sundown on the Range Land.
When Gabby receives a $36,000 inheritance from New York, Gabby comments on the city saying, “I’ve never seen New York. I hear they have a fine zoo there.” But will this inheritance draw the attention of the deadly villains in town? Sure enough, he is soon knocked out and robbed. But Bill and Gabby have a plan to retrieve his stolen money. And suspicion begins to turn on a man named Jake Marvel (Ralf Harolde), but are the culprits being helped by a local in town, someone who seems innocent?
Gabby is able to smoke some villians out of their wagon while Bill relies on his gun to help bring safety to the people of Deadwood. It’s Bill’s goal to round up the bad guys and to clean up the town. And Gabby’s comedy talents help in making the film entertaining.
This fast-paced classic Western incorporates a wholesome theme of fighting for what’s right and pursuing evil to take it down. It features a few shootings and brief smoking scenes, but nothing gratuitous. It has earned our Dove seal for All Ages.
The Dove Take
This one the entire family can enjoy as your family watches Roy sing and chase the bad guys.