Bells of Rosarita (1945)

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Good movie but grossly overrated

Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Copyright 13 May 1945 by Republic Pictures Corp. Presented by Republic Pictures on behalf of Republic Productions, Inc. Executive producer: Herbert J. Yates. No New York opening. U.S. release: 19 June 1945. U.K. release through British Lion: December 1945. Australian release through British Empire Films: 6 March 1947. Lengths: 7 reels, 68 minutes (U.S.); 55 minutes (U.K.); 6,417 feet, 71 minutes (Australia).SYNOPSIS: Roy Rogers saves a circus from an unscrupulous mortgagor.COMMENT: Rogers' best film and one of the high points of Republic "B" production in the 40s - all this despite a large number of flaws:Firstly, the basic premise of the plot is impossibly silly and old-hat. True, it's often a convenient peg for the songs and other antics, but it's just so ridiculous it deserved to be sent up instead of being played perfectly straight.Our second problem is that the print under review has been duped from the U.K. release which is missing at least 13 minutes. Mind you, there are no gaps in the story. It's quite possible that the missing footage contained more songs (presumably at least one by Bob Nolan who doesn't sing a note in this version. All he does is look amiably/jealously on while Roy does all warbling) and yet more comedy relief from that tiresomely loud-mouthed, aptly-named windbag, "Gabby" Hayes.Now let's get to the high points. First, just look at that cast! Yes, it's great to see all Republic's western stars except John Wayne (the script explains he is away on location) in the one film - and some of them cleverly introduced in studio scenes too. I'm sure all of us are enthusiasts for movies about movie-making - and oddly enough this is one of the best, for in Bells of Rosarita's most interesting scenes, Frank McDonald and his technicians play themselves. McDonald has a large, speaking part, but we also get a good look at photographer Ernest Miller acting as his own clapper-boy, and assistant director John Grubbs calling the crew to order. In order to build up his importance, McDonald is shown directing the extremely elaborate title number with Rogers, Nolan, the Mitchell Choir, the entrancing Janet Martin and a huge crowd of colorful extras. The brilliant way this sequence is shot and edited is absolutely breathtaking. Allied with the most attractive song, it becomes one of the most memorable movie moments in the entire history of the "B" western. This sequence is so perfect, we ran it over and over - at least seven times - at our screening and were constantly amazed at the precision and skill of the film editing. (Yet Roberts isn't even listed in the standard book The Motion Picture Film Editor by René L. Ash, published by The Scarecrow Press, Metuchen, N.J., 1974).Earlier in the film, McDonald is shown directing a vigorous action sequence complete with running inserts and daredevil stunts. The climax is also handled from the camera truck (which we actually see in the first episode), though disfigured by a few obvious studio inserts. Nice to see Bob Wilke as a deputy sheriff, though he has no dialogue.Aside from the too-garrulous Hayes, the players acquit themselves nobly. Mr Slye is in excellent voice and manages to hold his own with the Mitchell Choir. Miss Evans is an agreeable straight shooter too, while Adele Mara makes a surprisingly sprightly second-heroine. Even "Shug" Fisher has an important role.In addition, there's a delightfully high-stepping chorus line. The songs themselves are so attractive, it's a mystery to us the sound track has never been released - not even on a bootleg label. Maybe this good write-up will start a trend.

In Bells Of Rosarita Roy Rogers steps out of any character and simply plays himself, Roy Rogers singing cowboy movie star. He's asked by Dale Evans who is playing a character to help save her circus and her ranch which the circus uses as headquarters from the clutches of the evil Grant Withers.It's not a request directly from Dale. Rather it comes from the kids who make up the Robert Mitchell Boys Choir who love the circus and love the Roy Rogers films. What they want him to do is be the cowboy hero in real life that he is on the screen. Whatever else he was, Roy does feel an obligation to his public.In a move worthy of a Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland film, Roy offers his services and that of fellow Republic cowboy heroes, Wild Bill Elliott, Allan Lane, Don Barry, Bob Livingston, and Sunset Carson for a show. The climax involves a robbery and a chase and these guys all form a posse with Roy. Would any gang of outlaws stand a chance with this posse?The film also has a bit of humor with Roy remarking at one point after shooting off a tin chimney from a cabin where the outlaws are held up that he did that in a film once. And two of the others remark that in the final shootout that the blanks in their western guns aren't going to cut it. That was refreshing that these guys didn't take this all that seriously. Gave something for the adults in the audience to enjoy besides Dale Evans and her sidekick Adele Mara.Bells Of Rosarita was a good one from Republic with Roy aided and abetted by the best posse any cowboy hero ever had. As Gabby Hayes would remark, 'you're durn tootin'.

Here is a pacey work that employs standard elements to be found in Republic Pictures' contemporary Western films starring Roy Rogers, including the familiar plot artifice of shooting a movie within another, cowboys on horseback chasing motor vehicles bearing villains, musical interludes that interrupt the action at random, et alia, with an additional device utilized herein: "cameos" from cowpoke stars under contract with Republic: Wild Bill Elliott, Robert Livingston, Allan Lane, Don "Red" Barry, and Sunset Carson. Sue Farnum (Dale Evans) has been willed her father's traveling circus but his erstwhile partner Bill Ripley (Grant Withers) intends to take it from her as she cannot locate a receipt confirming that her sire had repaid a loan enabling him to gain title to the big top company, and when she and her employee and friend Gabby Whittaker (Gabby Hayes) accept aid from her dad's pal Slim Phillips (Addison Richards), the three, along with Slim's daughter and troupe entertainer Patty (Adele Mara), entrain to the southern California fictional town of Cabrillo wherein Slim believes he will locate the missing receipt, thereby ending Sue's plight. The Forces of Evil soon kidnap Slim but subsequent events are but ill-explained by a slapdash screenplay that accords space for eight musical numbers (not counting repeats) and while Rogers plainly is tasked, as is his wont, with rescuing a city-bred damsel in distress, he is equally motivated by a primal need to burst into song, a predilection shared with, among others, Evans, Mara, Janis Martin, and the baritone Bob Nolan-led Sons of the Pioneers. This lower case effort benefits from a panoply of Republic casting roster supporting players from whom, despite the film's following the accepted trend of Rogers "B" Westerns, a number of telling performances will be enjoyed from uncredited actors (including dancing girls!); Hayes reprises his wearisome shtick that he displays in each of his movies, even to the phrases, but Evans has a clamp on the acting laurels with a vivacious turn, while able editing supervised by Arthur Roberts makes for a snappily moving although somewhat goofy picture.

Janet Martin who is listed in the supporting cast credits, has no lines and appears in only one short scene in the film Bells of Rosarita shot within the film we are watching. She played the lovely bride in the marriage scene and though she had no dialogue sang beautifully while riding off from the wedding celebration. Roy Rogers enters the scene and carries her off while riding on his horse. Miss Martin, played Mexican girls in several films though she was actually of Russian descent. Adele Mara, who was also in one of the lead roles was of Mexican descent, but rarely if ever played a Mexican seniorita. Both, played polynesians in their roles in the film "Call of the South Seas."