I despair of seeing many rare vintage films on TCM UK.So i was very surprised to find this entertaining western in a midweek afternoon schedule.Dennis Morgan here becomes the standard singing cowboy.He must have known that the writing was on the wall when Warner's cast him in this film.However that was probably more to do with their desire to cut down their list of contracted actors.Morgan is supported in the comic sidekick role by George O 'Hanlon,of the Joe McDoakes series.There is a lot of action in a routine plot and Dennis takes every opportunity to sing a song.Its no classic but it is well worth a view if TCM ever show it again.
9 Reviews
Toward a Noble Swansong
adamshl11 December 2015
He rides, he romances, he's fast with his fists and--best of all--bursts into song at the drop of a hat, displaying a formidable Irish tenor. It's talented and quite beloved Dennis Morgan, nearing the end of a lengthy film career.
The story's about the governor of Texas who sends Cowboy Morgan to keep the peace between ranchers and a land baron. After many film roles from heavy dramas to light comedies, Dennis still looks good and plays his hero role with substantial conviction.
Morgan gets to sing more songs and in more varied situations than you could shake a stick at, and even his adversaries seem to have their savage beasts tamed by this cowboy's melodious strains.
The film isn't ever going to win any prizes; it's just interesting and enjoyable to see and hear one who was born to be a star go through these western paces before riding off to the sunset. Also of special interest is a young (and most attractive) Rita Moreno in an early--and of course Mexican--role.
The story's about the governor of Texas who sends Cowboy Morgan to keep the peace between ranchers and a land baron. After many film roles from heavy dramas to light comedies, Dennis still looks good and plays his hero role with substantial conviction.
Morgan gets to sing more songs and in more varied situations than you could shake a stick at, and even his adversaries seem to have their savage beasts tamed by this cowboy's melodious strains.
The film isn't ever going to win any prizes; it's just interesting and enjoyable to see and hear one who was born to be a star go through these western paces before riding off to the sunset. Also of special interest is a young (and most attractive) Rita Moreno in an early--and of course Mexican--role.
Mike McGann is The Man.
hitchcockthelegend20 September 2020
Directed by Noel M. Smith and starring Dennis Morgan, there's not a lot to write home about here for Western fans. Yet there's just enough of good old fashioned yee-haw to keep it from stinker status. Plot is set in post-civil-war Texas and finds crafty Notherners buying up the land for nefarious gains. In comes the government envoy to investigate, at the front is tough guy Mike McGann (Morgan).
It's a curious mix of gunfights and singing - including a barber quintet - but the action is well staged and not in short supply, while the finale is rather rousing as cattle go berserk. It never sits still so there's no boredom factor - as it runs at just a little over 70 minutes - and Morgan (in his last WB role) is a likable leading man for this type of material. 5/10
It's a curious mix of gunfights and singing - including a barber quintet - but the action is well staged and not in short supply, while the finale is rather rousing as cattle go berserk. It never sits still so there's no boredom factor - as it runs at just a little over 70 minutes - and Morgan (in his last WB role) is a likable leading man for this type of material. 5/10
Irritating and very poor western
MattyGibbs24 July 2014
Cattle Town is a low budget western with a fairly mundane plot and some dodgy singing thrown in.
It's a strange film that doesn't seem to know whether to be a serious Western, a Romance or a Musical. In the end it decides to amalgamate all three so we are just left with a confusing and messy hybrid. The lead actor Dennis Morgan who comes across as plain smug, and his sidekick, just don't convince at all. They are way too jovial, randomly and annoyingly bursting into some plain awful songs. It is therefore hard to take this effort at all seriously which is a shame as there was a germ of a decent film here.
I wasn't expecting much but I was expecting more than I got. Even with it's short running time I was left praying for the end well before it finished. It's not often you are rooting for the hero to be shot and killed but this is one time when it would have been a blessed relief. This is a very poor western and certainly among the worst I have seen. Avoid.
It's a strange film that doesn't seem to know whether to be a serious Western, a Romance or a Musical. In the end it decides to amalgamate all three so we are just left with a confusing and messy hybrid. The lead actor Dennis Morgan who comes across as plain smug, and his sidekick, just don't convince at all. They are way too jovial, randomly and annoyingly bursting into some plain awful songs. It is therefore hard to take this effort at all seriously which is a shame as there was a germ of a decent film here.
I wasn't expecting much but I was expecting more than I got. Even with it's short running time I was left praying for the end well before it finished. It's not often you are rooting for the hero to be shot and killed but this is one time when it would have been a blessed relief. This is a very poor western and certainly among the worst I have seen. Avoid.
"The state of Texas sure spoils a lot of fun for me."
classicsoncall21 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
More so than the movie itself, I was impressed with the impressive cast list for the picture. Besides lead cowboy Dennis Morgan, you had future 'Gunsmoke' regular Amanda Blake, multiple award winner Rita Moreno, 'Rawhide' regular and creator of the hit record 'Purple People Eater', Sheb Wooley, and can you believe it - Merv Griffin!, appearing as an aide to the governor of Texas! That was just so odd that I had to check his other acting credits. This was his very first film role, and he appeared in only one other Western a couple years later. I think they're still looking for him as the escaped elevator killer from "The Man With Two Brains"!
As for the story, it's a fairly standard Western with a slight twist. Instead of outright rustling ranchers' cattle, Northern carpetbagger Judd Hastings (Ray Teal) attempts to confiscate the cattle that's already on land he's purchased from the government of Texas. This is where Mike McGann (Morgan) steps in as the governor's envoy to broker a deal between Hastings and the ranchers, led by Ben Curran (Philip Carey). McGann's plan pretty much consists of distracting Hastings' henchmen, Robert J. Wilke (as Keeno) and Sheb Wooley (as Miller), long enough for the ranchers to make a getaway with their cattle.
With cowboy actors Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, you expected them to burst into song at least a couple times in their pictures, but in this one the musical numbers felt out of place and distracting from the main story. Dennis Morgan does the honors with at least a decent voice, and even joins a barbershop quarter at one point if you can believe it. At the high point of the picture, he broke into 'Dixie', causing a massive saloon brawl between native Texans and their Northern counterparts, part of the distracting influence mentioned earlier.
If you read the trivia notes for this film here on IMDb, you'll find that actor Morgan considered this Western a stinker, but I didn't think it was that bad. It's entertaining enough for its relatively short run time, and it does have a couple of pretty women in Amanda Blake and Rita Moreno, who in her role as a Mexican rancher's daughter is absolutely luminous.
As for the story, it's a fairly standard Western with a slight twist. Instead of outright rustling ranchers' cattle, Northern carpetbagger Judd Hastings (Ray Teal) attempts to confiscate the cattle that's already on land he's purchased from the government of Texas. This is where Mike McGann (Morgan) steps in as the governor's envoy to broker a deal between Hastings and the ranchers, led by Ben Curran (Philip Carey). McGann's plan pretty much consists of distracting Hastings' henchmen, Robert J. Wilke (as Keeno) and Sheb Wooley (as Miller), long enough for the ranchers to make a getaway with their cattle.
With cowboy actors Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, you expected them to burst into song at least a couple times in their pictures, but in this one the musical numbers felt out of place and distracting from the main story. Dennis Morgan does the honors with at least a decent voice, and even joins a barbershop quarter at one point if you can believe it. At the high point of the picture, he broke into 'Dixie', causing a massive saloon brawl between native Texans and their Northern counterparts, part of the distracting influence mentioned earlier.
If you read the trivia notes for this film here on IMDb, you'll find that actor Morgan considered this Western a stinker, but I didn't think it was that bad. It's entertaining enough for its relatively short run time, and it does have a couple of pretty women in Amanda Blake and Rita Moreno, who in her role as a Mexican rancher's daughter is absolutely luminous.
Low bar western intended for viewers who can be easy to please
jordondave-2808526 September 2023
(1952) Cattle Town
WESTERN
All it is, is just an excuse for singer/ actor Dennis Morgon playing as Western gov't assistant Mike McGann to sing some unmemorable old Western tunes (not country) to aid cattle from being stolen from wealthy businessman from another town or district. There's a good saloon brawl somewhere in the middle of the picture, topping it off with a 'sped-up' or 'fast-forward' fight with the main star duke it out with two people, a known technique done used to be done on old black and white Western tv shows- and doesn't work on adults but may be convincing to see with kids. Anyways, as far as the singing goes, it's like listening to old choir songs, like some old Roy Roger films or John Wayne's 45 minute short Western films who is by the way not even using his own voice, except to say that all the tunes are simple and uninspiring, like some other old musicals when their is no punch and the viewer is just staring at the screen completely stoned- it's really that bad.
All it is, is just an excuse for singer/ actor Dennis Morgon playing as Western gov't assistant Mike McGann to sing some unmemorable old Western tunes (not country) to aid cattle from being stolen from wealthy businessman from another town or district. There's a good saloon brawl somewhere in the middle of the picture, topping it off with a 'sped-up' or 'fast-forward' fight with the main star duke it out with two people, a known technique done used to be done on old black and white Western tv shows- and doesn't work on adults but may be convincing to see with kids. Anyways, as far as the singing goes, it's like listening to old choir songs, like some old Roy Roger films or John Wayne's 45 minute short Western films who is by the way not even using his own voice, except to say that all the tunes are simple and uninspiring, like some other old musicals when their is no punch and the viewer is just staring at the screen completely stoned- it's really that bad.
Watchable western
lennydixie13 July 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I must admit i like watching all the old westerns, enjoyable enough, would be a candidate for a remake (without the singing). Good storyline but the singing holds it back from being a better western movie. I would rate it a version of a type of Roy Rodgers movie. Unfortunately the only actor i rate as below par is the main star himself, not believable as a cowboy as well as his sidekick Shiloh, but i'm sure there must have been a reason to cast these two actors. All the other actors/actresses have made a successful career since this movie and it is quite interesting reading to see how some of them have made it,especially the two female actresses .
Enjoyable western if you don't examine it too closely!
JohnHowardReid5 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Producer: Bryan Foy. Copyright 17 December 1952 by Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. No New York opening. U.S. release: 6 December 1952. U.K. release on the lower half a double bill: 18 May 1953. Australian release: 22 May 1953. Sydney opening at the Civic (ran one week), 6,341 feet. 70 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: A carpetbagger attempts to evict squatters and illegally seize their cattle in post-Civil War Texas.
COMMENT: Thanks to the copious use of easily recognizable stock footage from Dodge City, San Antonio and other "A"-grade Warner westerns of the past, this "B"-grade effort from budget-conscious producer, Bryan Foy, looks very good indeed.
It's also helped by a fairly sizable (for a "B") budget of its own, with lots of location lensing, hard riding (with running inserts yet), good matching sets and photography, and a solid cast headed by singing hero, Dennis Morgan. Behind the 8 Ball's O'Hanlon makes a great comic offsider, whilst Ray Teal and Bob Wilke make as fine a pair of villains as you could wish for.
On the distaff side, Miss Blake is a winning heroine. Miss Moreno though has little to do!
And why Phil Carey receives second billing for his small role is a real mystery.
The script has been cleverly and ingeniously plotted to slot in as much action and spectacular footage as possible without sacrificing continuity or consistency.
Dennis Morgan's vocal talents have not been neglected either. These also are deftly integrated into the script, including even a waltz war which actually starts off the Dodge City saloon brawl.
Technical credits, including Noel Smith's pacey direction and Ted McCord's moody photography, are excellent. Art director Stanley Fleischer also deserves a special pat on the back for sets that match the stock footage decors so perfectly, audiences won't know where Fleischer ends and Ted Smith starts.
SYNOPSIS: A carpetbagger attempts to evict squatters and illegally seize their cattle in post-Civil War Texas.
COMMENT: Thanks to the copious use of easily recognizable stock footage from Dodge City, San Antonio and other "A"-grade Warner westerns of the past, this "B"-grade effort from budget-conscious producer, Bryan Foy, looks very good indeed.
It's also helped by a fairly sizable (for a "B") budget of its own, with lots of location lensing, hard riding (with running inserts yet), good matching sets and photography, and a solid cast headed by singing hero, Dennis Morgan. Behind the 8 Ball's O'Hanlon makes a great comic offsider, whilst Ray Teal and Bob Wilke make as fine a pair of villains as you could wish for.
On the distaff side, Miss Blake is a winning heroine. Miss Moreno though has little to do!
And why Phil Carey receives second billing for his small role is a real mystery.
The script has been cleverly and ingeniously plotted to slot in as much action and spectacular footage as possible without sacrificing continuity or consistency.
Dennis Morgan's vocal talents have not been neglected either. These also are deftly integrated into the script, including even a waltz war which actually starts off the Dodge City saloon brawl.
Technical credits, including Noel Smith's pacey direction and Ted McCord's moody photography, are excellent. Art director Stanley Fleischer also deserves a special pat on the back for sets that match the stock footage decors so perfectly, audiences won't know where Fleischer ends and Ted Smith starts.
Cattle Town
searchanddestroy-13 May 2023
Western from Warner Bros studios starring of course Dennis Morgan, the "home" actor for this period and this kind of films. But I don't know the director, I would have rather expected Edwin L Marin or Ray Enright, "home" Warner film makers, also specialized in westerns. That said, it's a good common western, in the Warner style, without "fat", without any useless scene and a Dennis Morgan very comfortable in this role. I won't see it again because, I repeat, there is nothing special, nothing to remember compared to the gigantic mass of westerns produced all over decades. That's all I had to say.
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