As Good As It Gets

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Blistering performances.

The acting in this movie is really good.

This is a pretty silly movie if you think about it. However, it's also easy to forget about the plot and just enjoy the movie, as it's a pretty good little B-movie."South of Santa Fe" begins with a young lady fretting that she needs investors for her mine--but no one seems interested. So, Roy comes up with a scheme to use his 'Vaqueros' (actually the Sons of the Pioneers) to deliver singing invitations to some rich potential investors--inviting them out to the dude ranch for a vacation. The plan is to butter them up and show them a great time and then spring the mining proposition on them. What they don't know is that a mobster (Paul Fix) has infiltrated this group and has plans of his own.The biggest negatives about this film is the plot (which is just odd) and Fix's character--he's simply too obviously evil to work. While a very good supporting actor, here he isn't given much to work with--and EVERYONE knows he's bad--so why doesn't Roy recognize this?! But, although the plot is bizarre, it all is fun and enjoyable in a 'turn off your brain' sort of way.

South Of Santa Fe has Roy Rogers with the rest of the Sons Of The Pioneers in New Mexico trying to get a group of wealthy investors to look at a mine owned by Linda Hayes. But gangster Paul Fix who is on the lam sees a real big opportunity to make a lot of quick bucks by kidnapping these rich guys.Fix is one of the shrewdest and most dangerous of villains ever in a Roy Rogers western. He's put a neat little frame around Roy and the Sons and it will take every bit of cleverness to foil his dastardly scheme.A fair share of music is in South Of Santa Fe though nothing really stands out. The best was a square dance where Bobby Beers and Judy Clark decide to liven things up with a jitterbug. One of Roy's better films and I think I saw a much edited version because I had to fill some blanks in with the story. Still lots of action, lots of singing, and a very cunning villain for Roy to best.

Roy Rogers and The Sons Of The Pioneers set up an 1890's style trail ride and invite some big money types, with the ulterior motive of introducing them to a gal pal with a goldmine that's waiting to be developed. Unfortunately, invitee Paul Fix turns out to be a gangster who has the whole party kidnapped and blames it on Roy.Fast-paced and with a decent amount of action, South Of Santa Fe is another typical but fun adventure for Roy and friends with a handful of great tunes on display.Speaking of the music, this is one of those rare times where The Sons Of The Pioneers were allowed to show their vocal range and individual talents for singing. Usually in pictures, they're only allowed to sing in unison or as backing for Roy Rogers or sometimes Gene Autry.

I've never seen each member of the Sons of the Pioneers sing solo before, but that's how the story opens as Roy and friends on horseback come into view with every rider offering a line or two of song. I have to say, they all sounded pretty good, even Pat Brady who's better known for his comic relief. Pat manages to go at it with Gabby Hayes for a good part of the story, and their back and forth banter is always good for a few laughs.The story itself is a pretty familiar one. This time around, Roy tries to help Carol Stevens (Linda Hayes) revive her gold mine operation by enticing some business investors to offer financial backing. As usual, there's a main villain lurking around to take advantage of the good guys before he's finally brought to justice. I managed to watch the entire film without ever realizing Joe Harmon was portrayed by Paul Fix, even though he was a mainstay of the era's Westerns before hiring on as Sheriif Micah Torrance of 'The Rifleman'. The resemblance is there of course, but it's a fleeting one.The other thing I hadn't thought about was Gabby being the mayor of Whittaker City. I know his character went by Whittaker in a bunch of films with Roy, but I don't recall that name being used here except for the tie-in with the Annual Ride of the Vaqueros. Boy, I thought Gabby was a goner when one of the baddies shot him off his jeep. Funny thing about Gabby's timing, I never saw him with a bullet proof vest before.So during the shootout at the old rustlers hideout, Roy manages to hit one of the villains behind a wall with only a single gun-sight to shoot through. How did he do that? Then Roy gets shot, but manages to brush it off and continue the chase. That was one durable cowboy. Not that I want to find fault, stuff like this happened all the time during the Thirties and Forties and it didn't seem to bother anyone. It's just that watching today as an adult, you have to wonder why film makers didn't think about those things. If they did, it didn't seem to matter.Anyway, Roy Rogers has always been my favorite movie cowboy, so cutting him some slack is easy enough to do. He always saves the day in the end, and gets to win the pretty romantic lead. Along the way, there's a pile of tunes provided by Roy and his Pioneer buddies, a formula that worked time after time.