Gay Ranchero (DVD)

The inimitable Roy Rogers rides again (atop his trusted horse Trigger) in this rootin'-tootin' cowboy adventure film that follows daring Sheriff Rogers as he liberates an airport from a gang of thieving crooks. Featuring a soundtrack of rousing tunes all written specifically for the film, The Gay Ranchero is packed full of all the action one expects from a Roy Rogers film, and has enough thrills and spills to satisfy the whole family. Featuring a stand-up performance from veteran character actor Andy Devine (Stagecoach, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance), the film is also notable for its casting of actual Latino actors Tito Guizar and Estelita Rodriguez to play Mexicans (a rarity for the time)--a clear result of the Republic Pictures' "Hands Across the Border" initiative.