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The Gene Autry Show - Doublecross Valley
episode 1.8
USA 1950
produced by Louis Gray for Flying A Pictures/CBS
directed by George Archainbaud
starring Gene Autry, Pat Buttram, Gail Davis, Harry Lauter, Stanley Andrews, William Haade, Holly Bane, Francis McDonald, Wade Crosby, Jack Ingram, Art Dillard, Frankie Marvin, Boyd Stockman, Bob Woodward, Herman Hack, Ray Jones
written by J.Benton Cheney, Paul Gangelin
TV-series Gene Autry Show
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Kent (Harry Lauter) has learned that some treasure is hidden somewhere
on Jim Watson's (Stanley Andrews) ranchlands, so he makes up a plan to
drive everybody away from the ranch, and his first action is to ... save
Sheriff Gene Autry's life. Why that, you may ask? Because Gene is the
on-again off-again fiancé of Watson's daughter Sue (Gail Davis), and she
immediately falls for Kent, giving him perfect access to the family and
even to Gene's actions. From then on, Kent has his henchmen led by Calico
(William Haade) engage in every act of sabotage imaginable, from poisoning
waterholes to rustling, random shootings and the like. Ultimately, Calico
even tries to assassinate Watson, but Gene is on site and takes up
pursuit. Kent accompanies him and shoots Calico in cold blood to evade the
risk of his accomplice betraying him. It's then and there that Gene first
grows suspicious of Kent, thus he decides to have Watson's ranch
completely evacuated to give whoever it is enough space to look for
whatever it is - and of course, in the end, Gene and his deputy (Pat
Buttram) catch Kent red-handed. But what about Sue, who fell for the
villain and criticized Gene all throughout the episode? Well, she
receives a spanking, what did you think? Competently made
television Western very much in style of the B-Westerns Gene made
alongside ghis TV-show. Nothing great but watchable if Westerns are your
cup of tea. By the way, this one is not interrupted by Gene singing a
tune or two, like many of his theatrical films were, he just sings one
song at the very end of the show.
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