Roy Rogers (<a href=">Roy Rogers)comes to Merino Springs to prevent a range war between cattlemen and sheepmen, that started as a result of the killing of a sheep-man, Matthew Delaney (<a href=">John Ince) on "Whirligig Cattle Syndicate" property. He was killed by Steve Anders (<a href=">Francis McDonald, a henchman of Cole Gregory (<a href=">Dennis Hoey), who is out to acquire the Delaney ranch. Roy's pleas for the murdered man's daughter, Jill Delaney (<a href=">Dale Evans) to help prevent further bloodshed are dashed when her prized ram is also killed. It does not help matters that her lawyer is the scheming Gregory. To get the Delaney ranch Cole's henchman Anders has started a phony range war between the cattlemen and sheepmen. After killing Delaney, he tries to kill his daughter Jill and then Roy who was sent to investigate the war. But the failed attempts gives Roy the information he needs. When a neighboring sheep rancher is found murdered on his property, by sheep-hating cattleman Gabby Whitaker, hostilities begin to heat up between the local factions. Cattleman Roy Rogers is quickly dispatched from the home office in Chicago to diffuse the situation and find the culprits. Evidence leads him to the sheep ranch where he joins forces with the murdered rancher's daughter Jill (Dale Evans)over the protests of her aunt, old battle-axe, cattle-hater, Cactus Kate (Elisabeth Risdon).<br/><br/>Roll on Texas Moon is the first teaming of Roy and B-western great director William Witney. Over the course of the next 5 years Witney would change the style of the Roy Rogers' pictures from a musically oriented singing cowboy to the Action Cowboy Hero. After watching this one it's clear that Witney was really good at the latter, no so much with the former. Promising action sequences quickly give way to oddly selected and placed musical numbers. One musical interlude has Roy singing a lullaby to Gabby and the title tune, which is introduced in a Gabby dream sequence, has Dale dressed as Little Bo peep, making Betty Boop faces at Roy. The whole number seemed uncomfortably out of place. It should be noted that despite the inauspicious start, Witney righted the ship in their next film "Home in Oklahoma", a film very similar in substance and plot. <br/><br/>While you can occasionally see in this movie what was eventually to come of the Roy Rogers / William Witney collaboration, Roll on Texas Moon wasn't one of the pair's better efforts. Recommended for die-hard Roy Rogers Fans only. Roy Rogers (as Roy Rogers) has to mediate a "war" between the Sheep Herders and the Cattle Ranchers. George "Gabby" Hayes (as Gabby) is followed around by a Little Lamb. Dale Evans (as Jill) needs saving. Bob Nolan and the "Sons of the Pioneers" are around. After a promising, scenic opening, with Elisabeth Risdon effective (as Kate), the film falls apartÂ… while the camera follows the Little LambÂ… who is following Gabby… The title song is sung to the Lamb. The film includes Lamb Songs and a Mexican Jumping Bean Song. The highlight is when Evans' out-of-control car plunges into a river; after Rogers fishes her out, the duo sweetly sing "Be a Friend of Mine". <br/><br/>** Roll on Texas Moon (1946) William Witney ~ Roy Rogers, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Dale Evans
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