To me, this movie is perfection.

hyped garbage

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

Although it's often stated that when Rogers started out, he didn't directly compete with Gene Autry, this isn't true. In fact, he was actually hired as a replacement, as Rogers himself details at length in his autobiography. Although Rogers was never as popular with exhibitors, he had a great fan following, In fact, he managed to run up a total of no less than 91 movies in which he either starred or enjoyed a "special guest" spot in addition to his 12 appearances as one of the Sons of the Pioneers. Many of these movies are available on Public Domain DVDs, although there is no definitive edition of his work, as there is for Gene Autry. Worse, some of the DVDs reproduce cutdown TV versions rather than the original theatrical release. A pleasing exception is Volume 6 of "The Great American Western" series which reproduces the original USA release version of "My Pal Trigger". Admittedly it runs only 79 minutes, and I would have much preferred a re-issue of the 85 minutes version which Rogers himself regarded as his best film and which I saw in theaters back in 1947. Nonetheless, despite the cuts, this is still a top Rogers entry which dares to be extremely critical of law enforcement agencies. That's a nice change in itself. In fact, the only other movie I can call to mind that really gets the boot into the "justice" system is Paramount's "Vice Squad" (1931). Evidently Republic's Herb Yates had a fit when he saw the finished movie and ordered 6 minutes of cuts, but you can't cut out the theme of the movie itself, and even in its truncated state, it's still a riveting film.

Roy Rogers, Gabby Hayes, Dale Evans, and of course -- Trigger...all get together for another of those great old cowboy movies that Roy made back in the 1940s. While this is not the best of Roy's films -- that would be "Don't Fence Me In" with a wonderful Gabby Hayes performance -- this is far better than average.Here, Gabby and Roy start off on opposite sides when Gabby refuses to breed his horse -- the Golden Sovereign -- with Roy's horse. The two horses escape, and Golden Sovereign is shot...Roy is blamed. Time passes and Roy returns with Trigger, the son of Golden Sovereign. Of course, Roy gets to clear his name.Another nice thing about this film -- Bob Nolan and the Sons Of The Pioneers. The bad guy here -- once cowboy star himself, and later character actor Jack Holt.Many of the old Roy Rogers films didn't survive well being cut up to fit 60 minute time slots on black and white television back in the 1950s. This one did (at least the version shown recently on TCM), although the sound track has a very bad hiss throughout.One thing that these later Roy Rogers films suffered from were clear glimpses that Roy was using a double, for example, in the fight scenes...and that happens here. Gabby Hayes does more real acting in this film -- playing the father to Dale's character, and he shows more depth than usual.Westerns have certainly lost their dominance in cinema today, and the Roy Rogers films are certainly out of vogue, but historically Roy was the King Of The Cowboys, and this is one of his films that is worth watching.

King of the Cowboys, Roy Rogers, considered "My Pal Trigger" his personal favorite out of over one hundred films he made during his Hollywood days. It is easy to see why. He, Dale, Gabby, and the Sons of the Pioneers, led by gifted songster Bob Nolan, do the best acting of their careers. Dale, Queen of the Cowgirls, struts her stuff, as Susan Kendrick, showing that she was not only a delightful singer but a dramatic actress as well. Even Gabby plays it straight as Dale's father with an especially touching scene when his favorite palomino, Golden Sovereign, is mistakenly shot and killed. Jack Holt, whose son, Tim, the cowboy star, was a close friend of Roy's and Dale's, plays the bad guy, Brett Scoville, with a touch of kindness, making the character more than a one-dimensional heavy that was usually the case in the B westerns. Strictly speaking the real stars of the film are the horses, Golden Sovereign, Lady, the wild stallion, and Trigger, another reason why "My Pal Trigger" was dear to Roy's heart. Roy and Dale were sincere animal lovers who cared for their well being. The title, which some critics call as inane as "My Dog Spot," has true meaning for the story being told. To Roy and Dale, horses were pals, as real as any human pal around, a true companion to be counted on in good times and in bad. The story holds up well. Roy is framed for killing Gabby's Golden Sovereign after Sovereign mates with Roy's mare, Lady, following a confrontation between Golden Sovereign and a wild stallion for Lady's affections. The real culprit, Scoville, who owns the neighboring horse ranch plus a casino in town, covets Gabby's ranch. Scoville through rigged card games collects a huge pile of IOU's from Gabby. Roy becomes a fugitive, taking the colt, Trigger, sired by Golden Sovereign, with him. Trigger's mother, Lady, is killed by a mountain lion, leaving Trigger an orphan in Roy's hands. Roy returns with Trigger and surrenders to the authorities. Trigger is taken by Scoville through red tape maneuvering. The resolution to "My Pal Trigger" is determined by the outcome of a horse race between Gabby's palomino and Scoville's Trigger, ridden by Roy, who has made a deal with Scoville to not only retrieve Trigger but also to get even with Gabby. Along the way Gabby's daughter, Susan (Dale), has fallen in love with Roy and changed from holding Roy responsible for Golden Sovereign's death to believing Roy is not guilty, helping him prove his innocence to get Trigger back. The music is apropos to the story. Roy and Susan (Dale), when first introduced via Lady inviting Golden Sovereign over to her side of the coral, make a dinner date with Gabby and the rest of the ranch hands. At the dinner, Roy's pal, Bob Nolan, informs those in charge that Roy can sing. Roy is hesitant until Susan (Dale) agrees to join him. They do a rollicking ditty called "Harriet" about her lariat. Shortly after the dinner Roy and Susan fall out with each other over the death of Golden Sovereign; so no more duets. Roy sings a solo in keeping with the image of Lady and later Trigger called "Old Faithful Pal," just before Lady's death. Later Susan accompanies herself on the piano with the sad melody, "Long, Long Ago." Other songs in the film include "Livin' Western Style" and "Alla En El Rancho Grande," performed by the Sons of the Pioneers. The rest of the show is adventure and action.

I went on a nostalgia trip and screened this movie when hearing of the death of Dale Evans. It is the best of the Roy Rogers movies with a real story and some genuinely touching moments, it is also a nice reminder of what a pretty and gracious lady Dale Evans was.