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Leonard Slye (Roy Rogers), Smiley Burnette (Smiley), George Hayes (Gabby), Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers: Lloyd Perryman, Tim Spencer, Carl Farr, Pat Brady, Hugh Farr (themselves), Walter Catlett (paddle-steamer magnate), Ruth Terry (magnate's daughter), Leigh Whipper (magnate's servant), Paul Harvey (cattlemen's association bigwig), Edmund MacDonald (local saloon and haulage boss), William Haade (saloon-owner's chief henchman), The Hall Johnson Choir (assorted slavies), Hank Bell (steamer captain), and Hal Taliaferro, Cactus Mack, Fred Burns, Carl Mathews, Horace B. Carpenter, Frank McCarroll, Art Dillard, and "Trigger" (a horse).

Director: Joseph KANE. Original screenplay: Earl Felton. Photography: Jack Marta. Film editor: Richard Van Enger. Art director: Russell Kimball. Set decorator: Otto Siegel. Music director: Morton Scott. Choral arrangements: Hall Johnson. Songs: "The West Is In My Soul" (Slye), "There's Gloom Around the Ranch- House Tonight" (Slye), "Easy-A, Easy-O" (Slye), "Welcome Song" (Slye, Pioneers, Burnette, Hayes), "Oh My Children" (Johnson Choir, Slye, Pioneers), "The River Robin" (Johnson Choir, Slye, Pioneers, Burnette). RCA Sound System. Associate producer: Joseph Kane.

Copyright 11 December 1942 by Republic Pictures Corp. No New York opening. U.S. release: 16 November 1942. Australian release through British Empire Films: 22 April 1943. 7 reels, 6,150 feet. 68 minutes.

SYNOPSIS: Cattleman James Barrabee (Paul Harvey) is torn between paying the exorbitant fees charged by road haulage contractor Ross Lambert (Edmund MacDonald) or pandering to eccentric shipping tycoon Colonel Silas Poppen (Walter Catlett) to induce him to freight the cattle by paddle steamer. His foreman Roy Rogers (Leonard Slye) is all in favor of the latter alternative, especially as Poppen has a pretty daughter May Lou (Ruth Terry). But Barrabee believes that humoring Poppen is just too much trouble.

NOTES: This film exists in at least four versions. The full-length 68-minute version was shown only in Australia. In the U.S. the film was cut by 3 minutes by the simple expedient of deleting one of the songs. For TV, songs were slashed all over, reducing the length to 60 minutes. The present video print has a running time of only 54 minutes. The story-line seems to be intact. No-one has taken the scissors to Harvey's part or Catlett's. But the Hall Johnson Choir no longer ask "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny". And Smiley Burnette, making a return to Rogers' pictures — he had joined him in his first two starring vehicles "Under Western Stars" and "Billy the Kid Returns" (both 1938) but had otherwise been partnering Gene Autry who was now away in the war — has no solo song.

VIEWERS' GUIDE: Just about all the Rogers' pictures are bland enough for all. "Heart of the Golden West" is no exception.

COMMENT: An odd western. With Rogers now king of the lot, Republic has evidently decided to throw in every element they can think of and hope that it all jells. Unfortunately it doesn't. For action fans there's a good chase at the start with some neat pieces of stunt-work, plus a more routine fistfight in a saloon, and a shoot- out climax in the rain that's really outstanding (particularly by the generally modest standards of Joe Kane). For country western fans, there's obviously songs a-plenty (at least in the original release prints). For fans of gentle romance there's a nice turn-on between the attractively spirited Ruth Terry and the more laid-back but still personable Roy Rogers.

But — so long as they're not too irritated by all the foregoing footage — it's slapstick fans that are really regally treated by "Heart of the Golden West". Smiley Burnette for instance can't even walk into a room without falling over. Joined by Gabby Hayes and Walter Catlett, he plays an old — and in my opinion, totally unfunny — routine on a stage "horse".

As for Paul Harvey, when he's not sounding off, he has all this trouble lighting his pipe without burning his fingers. But the prize clown of all is Walter Catlett — he who can't open his mouth without losing his teeth — who initiates or figures in more slapstick shouting than all the others combined.

Technically the film is quite slick, even though the chases are marred by obvious studio cut-ins. Still, some attractive locations are well utilized and by comparison with many previous Rogers' features, this one has been produced on a fairly sizable budget.

Ross Lambert(Ed McDonald) runs a trucking company, which includes shipping cattle. Without warning, he doubles his freight rate for cattle, creating panic among the ranchers. No nearby railroad alternative and no other feasible trucking company in sight. He's got them over a barrel. What to do?.......Roy has an idea: convince eccentric Col. Popen (Walter Catlett), owner of the local steamboat line, to ship cattle on his boats. Lambert hadn't seen this coming, but remains confident that something will go wrong with that idea. Soon, he gets a break, intercepting a telegram from nervous, confused, James Barrabee(Paul Harvey), president of the local Cattleman's Association. The telegram warns that Col. Popen hates anything associated with the Wild West, considering himself a southern gentleman. Lambert makes sure that Roy doesn't know about this until it's too late, and arranges some extra mock Wild West activities, such as a shootout on Main Street, and a raucous saloon fight. Before the Col. has gotten out of bed, the pair of Gabby Hayes, dressed in buckskin and coonskin cap, and Smiley Burnett, dressed as an Indian, show up at his door, and proceed to scare the daylights out of him, hoping around on his bed, and shooting off their pistol. Popen's false teeth fall out, one of several such occasions, in a running gag. When he recovers from this, he goes downstairs to experience more Wild West snippets arranged by Roy. Then, he is placed in a wagon with his marriagable daughter Mary Lou(no, not Mary Poppins), played by Ruth Terry, and the easily excitable Barrabee, as they travel through town, experiencing Lambert's reception innovations. Again, Popen is scared out of his wits. These events put a damper on negotiations, but did not prevent them, in the end.........Soon, it would be learned that Lambert had also turned rustler boss, further eating away at the rancher's income. Perhaps he hoped to bankrupt them, so he could take over their ranches.? ......... Mary Lou got the idea to tell the ranchers to bring their cattle to indecisive Mr. Barrabee's ranch, to provide a concentrated defense from the rustlers. Well, sly Mr. Lambert had an answer for this tactic. He arranged to start a fire on the steamboat, causing nearly all the cowhands to desert their cattle to help put out the fire. Meanwhile, with virtually no opposition, Lambert's men stole the combined herd, driving them to a cave behind a waterfall(Sure!). Roy and the ranchers rode to where Col. Popen indicated he had heard the men discuss. Unfortunately, without his teeth, it sounded like Benita Falls. But, there was no such place. Once his choppers were delivered, it became "beneath the falls".........Of course, eventually, the rustlers are defeated, with Roy chasing Lambert through a high swamp, in the middle of a thunderstorm, wounding him, causing him to nearly drown. But, he was brought back to face 15 charges........I forgot to mention one of the comedic highlights, where Gabby and Smiley dress up in a horse suit, and Col. Popen gets on to ride, being none the wiser. Popen's valet gives the back end a mighty whack to get it started. In addition, a hot soldering iron falls off the shelf, landing on the back, burning through the costume, causing smoke to emanate from the suit. The Col. then gets a ride, straight to a well, in which he is dumped. When he is finally rescued, he complains that his teeth are still at the bottom........... I found it unexpected that Smiley was billed ahead of Gabby. Perhaps because Smiley costarred with Roy in a few films before Gabby arrived at Republic?....... .A number of songs are sung, either by Roy, or the Sons of the Pioneers, or the African American Hall Johnson Choir. At the end, all 3 participated in singing the catchy "River Robin".