‘RHYTHM ON THE RANGE’

Please feel free to comment on my review.

Bing, Frances and a bull called…Cuddles?

Are you ready for some singing with Bing Crosby? 😀

After checking out the ‘Astaire and Rogers’ complete 10 film collection on DVD, it’s only fair to check out the film collection of the other half of the starring duo for the Christmas classic ‘Holiday Inn’ – Bing Crosby. My Dad loves his musical films from the 1930s, 40s and 50s. I enjoy seeing them as well.

I must admit, I’m not very familiar with Bing Crosby’s filmography. Apart from ‘Holiday Inn’ and a film he did with Bob Hope, my knowledge of Bing Crosby as a singer/actor isn’t that great. So it was going to be fun for me to check out the movies he did in ‘The Bing Crosby Collection’ DVD box set. 🙂

My Dad purchased ‘The Bing Crosby Collection’ DVD box set for my Nana when she was alive and living in Newport at the time. My Dad’s love for these movies came from my Nana and Bamp watching them. After my Nana died in 2011, my Dad was able to own this special DVD box set again.

The nine movies contained in ‘The Bing Crosby Collection’ DVD box set are as follows. There’s ‘Rhythm on the Range’, ‘Rhythm on the River’, ‘Birth of the Blues’, ‘Holiday Inn’ of course, ‘Going My Way’, ‘The Bells of St. Mary’s’, ‘Blue Skies’, ‘The Emperor Waltz’ and ‘A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court’. Most of the movies are contained as double features on certain discs in the box set.

I hope to share what I like about these movies as well as what I find lacking in terms of story and character development. My experience of some these films comes from my first viewing of them, but I’m certain my thoughts on these movies will be very entertaining from a 21st century viewpoint here. 🙂

N.B. The order that I write these reviews doesn’t necessarily match to the order that these Bing Crosby films are presented in the DVD box set. As I write my reviews on each film in ‘The Bing Crosby Collection’ DVD box set, I’ll be sharing them in the year they were released via ‘Bradley’s Basement’.

The first movie of ‘The Bing Crosby Collection’ is of course ‘Rhythm on the Range’. This film was released in 1936 and it has Bing Crosby, Frances Farmer and Bob Burns. This is a cowboy-styled film.

I did enjoy seeing this movie and the romance part of it was good to follow. Mind you, there are some comedic aspects of the film that went over-the-top and I felt this film’s conclusion got rushed.

The film is based on a story by Mervin J. Houser and was directed by Norman Taurog. It’s about a cowboy that meets this beautiful young woman while returning from a rodeo in the east of America.

The cowboy is of course Bing Crosby as Jeff Larabee. Interestingly, this was Crosby’s only western film (apart for the 1966 remake of ‘Stagecoach’) and it is notable for introducing two western songs.

They include ‘Empty Saddles’ and ‘I’m an Old Cowhand from the Rio Grande’. I’ve noticed that Bing does a lot of the singing in this film. I didn’t see his love interest Frances Farmer do any singing here.

Jeff Larabee and his love interest Doris Halliday; played by Frances Farmer, who goes under an alias, journey to his California ranch. He invites Doris to stay at his ranch to experience a simple way of life.

I must admit, it did take a while for the film to be set up with the characters and everything. I felt it somewhat dull. But once Bing and Frances’ characters met up in the film, it did become intriguing. 🙂

At first, Bing and Frances’ character don’t get on well before they fall in love. I imagine this is the pattern for many of these Bing Crosby films. They also have a prize bull with them called…Cuddles?!

Tim looks at his cuddly toy dog Cuddles, confused.

Cuddles: “In another life, I was a bull.”

Actually, it is funny when Cuddles the bull gets quite a lot of attention in this film. This is especially when he sees Doris’ red scarf and runs after her. Gosh, Cuddles was chasing women even back then.

It was very amusing when Cuddles chased after Doris out in the open because of her red scarf and Jeff had to get after them. It of course means them losing their train which gets Jeff pretty annoyed.

I like how Doris tries to make up with Jeff by getting a car and a bull cart in order to get their California ranch. Although Doris stole that car and bull cart! Wow, for a posh lady, Doris is a criminal.

I actually like how in the film, Frances Farmer’s character is trying to run away from a possible marriage life where she won’t be happy. Meeting Bing’s character changes her perception on life. 😀

Also in the film are Bob Burns as Buck, who is Bing’s cowboy friend in the film. I admit; I did find Buck to be somewhat dim-witted, especially in doing the comic relief. But he seems to have a good heart.

The film also features the screen debut of Martha Raye as Emma Mazda, who ends up being Buck’s love interest in the film. I did find Martha Raye rather over-the-top, especially in her comedic acting.

There’s also Samuel S. Hinds as Robert Halliday, Doris’ father in the film. Mr. Halliday is a rather stern character in the film and isn’t impressed when Emma enters, rather drunk, and flirts with him.

Lucile Gleason stars as Penelope ‘Penny’ Ryland, who is Doris’ outspoken aunt and the owner of the Frying Pan Ranch in Arizona. She objects to Doris’ marriage to someone and is overprotective of her.

The film also features James Burke as Wabash, Warren Hymer as Big Brain and George E. Stone as Shorty. These three are crooks trying to get Doris back to her father in order to get a $5,000 reward.

I found the three criminals’ subplot half-done in the movie. This is especially when it doesn’t get resolved after they arrive at the ranch where everybody is and they leak the fuel in everybody’s cars.

In fact, nothing comes from the fuel being leaked from everyone’s cars. After Jeff Larabee learns that Doris has been lying to him in this, she chases him with two of the criminals I think in one of the cars.

Jeff rides on a horse back to his ranch where Doris finds him and they soon declare their love for each other. Cuddles even pushed Doris in for a kiss with Jeff. And that’s where the film ends. What?!

‘Rhythm on the Range’ has been an enjoyable Bing Crosby movie, but the ending was pretty weak. The highlight of course was seeing Cuddles the bull, which made it even more entertaining to watch.

‘Rhythm on the Range’ rating – 7/10

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