Bells of Rosarita

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'.