Movie spotlight
Rollin' Home to Texas
This one starts differently but, in the end, it is another version of Robert Emmett Tansey's oft-used plot of "employing bad guys as good guys to help the good-good guys capture the bad-bad guys." The warden of the Desert Wells Penitentiary asks Tex Reed and Slim to check the series of bank robberies which have been committed by escaped convicts. Lockwood, head of an opposing political machine, is behind the escapes and robberies, and the escapes are being planned by Red, a convict. Tex trails the next escapee but the hang shoots the man before Tex can question him. Jimmy, brother of Tex's girl friend Mary, is set up, by the gang, to be killed while robbing a bank by Carter who will collect a reward for shooting him. Jimmy is wounded but not killed and Tex arrests him to keep him safe. The gang now wants to get rid of Tex, so they send Red, dressed as a prison guard, with a fake message from the Warden for Tex.
Insights
Plot Summary
A young rancher, Tom Howard, returns to Texas to find his father murdered and his ranch in the hands of a ruthless land grabber. Determined to avenge his father and reclaim his inheritance, Tom must navigate betrayal and danger. He finds unexpected allies in a former friend and a spirited young woman who believes in his cause.
Critical Reception
As a B-movie Western from 1940, "Rollin' Home to Texas" received modest critical attention, typical for its genre and production value. Reviews often highlighted its straightforward narrative and adequate performances, fitting within the expectations for a Saturday matinee feature. Audience reception was likely positive among fans of Westerns looking for escapist entertainment.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its classic Western plot and satisfying conclusion.
Competent performances from the lead actors, particularly Tom Keene.
A well-paced, if unoriginal, addition to the Western genre of the era.
Google audience: Audience reviews for this film are not widely available. However, viewers who appreciate traditional Westerns often enjoy its straightforward good-versus-evil narrative and the archetypal hero's journey.
Fun Fact
W. Lee Wilder, the director, was the older brother of director Billy Wilder, though their cinematic styles were vastly different.
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