Gold Mine in the Sky (1938) User Reviews

This Gene Autry oater is a gold mine for his many fans

[krorie · 6/10 · 22 February 2006]

This is one of the very best of the Gene Autry shoot-'em-ups from early in his singing cowboy career. Even Frog is funny this time. Where the producers found a female frog (Cupid Ainsworth as Jane Crocker) is a wonder. They later found a tadpole too. The ending is hilarious when Jane chases Frog to ride unwillingly away into the sunset.

Some of the lines are a scream. 'Lucky' Langham dies from a fall during a horse race. Not so lucky. His daughter, Cody, a spoiled girl from Chicago comes to claim her inheritance. One of the wranglers on the welcoming committee asks, When do we start shooting?" To which Frog replies, "After I give my speech." The wrangler retorts, "I wouldn't take no chances, Frog." When Cody and her friend Jane speed through the town upon their arrival doing damage and even killing a pig, Gene comments, "She's driving too fast." Frog corrects Gene, "She ain't driving too fast; she's flying too low." The pig's owner tells Cody that Hamabella was like one of the family. Cody looks the pig owner over and says, "Poor Hamabella!" Toward the end of the film, Larry Cummings (Craig Reynolds) tells the kidnapped Cody, "You must have overestimated your value; this time he (Gene) didn't even bother to sing a song."

Many of Gene's westerns were based on popular songs he sang. "There's a Gold Mine in the Sky" though not written by Gene or Smiley has become a cowboy classic. Several of the songs in the film were written by Gene, Smiley, and an up and coming songwriter Fred Rose who went on to discover Hank Williams Sr. and help form one of the biggest publishing companies in the world, Acuff Ross Publishing Company of Nashville. Gene began his career as a recording artist along the lines of the popular blue yodeler Jimmie Rodgers. On many of his early records it's difficult to tell that it's not really Jimmie Rodgers singing. Toward the end of "Gold Mine in the Sky" Gene does a blues type number called "As Long as I Have My Horse" which gives the listener an idea of what his early singing was like, much less pop oriented than later. Look for a young Pee Wee King (of "The Tennesse Waltz" and "Slowpoke" fame) as a member of the Golden West Cowboys.

The story and script are well written by Betty Burbridge who wrote many a cowboy script for both screen and later television. A spoiled girl from Chicago goes west to claim a ranch when her father is killed. The foreman, Gene, by will is given authority over her in selling the property or marrying someone. Her gangster boyfriend from Chicago and his hoodlum friends arrive to try to take over. Gene sees through it all and uses several different machinations including a faked kidnapping that turns real to keep her from making a mistake.

There's also plenty of action under the guiding hand of Joe Kane who directed many a Republic western before turning to television. Almost always Republic delivered the goods and one reason was the skillful hand of Kane. Republic also had the meanest-looking outlaws and the best stunt men around. Look for a young George Montgomery as one of the cowboys. So get ready for some fancy riding, roping, and shooting.

A singing cowboy is executor of the will.

[michaelRokeefe · 5/10 · 19 February 2006]

Cody Langham(Carol Hughes)is a girl from the east and attempts to run a ranch left to her by her father. Ranch foreman Gene Autry is named executor of the will and agrees to turn the ranch over to Cody when she marries a man of Gene's approval. The young woman is smitten with a scoundrel(Craig Reynolds), who wants to get rid of Gene when he learns he will not give Cody permission to marry him. A fake cattle rustling raid, kidnappings and attempted murder are in Gene's way of bringing Cody to her senses.

Gene sings "There's A Gold Mine In The Sky" and "As Long As I Have My Horse". Sidekick Frog Millhouse(Smiley Burnette)sings "That's How Donkey's Are Born". Rounding out the cast are: Le Roy Mason, Frankie Marvin, Ben Corbett and the Stafford Sisters.

Many story elements you'd later see in other Republic B-westerns.

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 6 November 2020]

As I watched "Gold Mine in the Sky", I noticed a lot of story elements that I've seen in other later Republic westerns. Only three years later, Gene Autry would make "The Singing Hill"....which is, essentially, a remake of "Gold Mine in the Sky". In addition, the way Gene meets Cody is almost exactly the way Roy Rogers met Dale's character in "The Far Frontier". Most folks wouldn't have noticed this back in the day, but with YouTube, Netflix, DVDs and many other ways to see old films, I noticed it because I have been binging on B-westerns.

Soon after the story begins, Lucky Langham is killed by accident. His only relative is his daughter, who has lived back east for a decade...and spending everything she could. Soon she arrives out west...and turns out to be a dreadful and awful person (the b-word would be appropriate but IMDB doesn't allow such words in its reviews). She nearly runs over Gene and the gang in her car when she arrives...and she even assaults the constable who stops her for reckless driving! And, when she goes before the judge, she isn't exactly contrite about her actions. So, it's obvious she's spoiled and self-absorbed. But the joke is on her when the will is read, as she does inherit the ranch BUT Gene is the executor who must approve all her spending...as well as who she can marry. And she insists on marrying a worthless pretty-boy who is at heart a real scum-bag. If she doesn't agree to Gene overseeing the ranch, she's to be left with nothing...and she resents him. Not surprisingly, she schemes to get around this, as she only wants to sell the place and continue living her unsustainable high life. Now you just know that by the end of the story, she'll learn humility and self-control...thanks to Gene.

So is it any good? Well, it's not nearly as good as "The Singing Hill"....mostly because of a few logical errors in the film. It's enjoyable but when Gene can prove that the lady's boyfriend tried to have Gene killed, he only told him to leave the ranch! Why not have him sent to prison?? And, right after this, the crook tells his now ex-fiancee that he'll have Gene killed unless she pays him $10,000. So again...why not just have him arrested?! There was more than enough to send him to prison for many years. Illogical, that's for sure...which is a shame as otherwise it's a fun film.

There's Autry Gold in the Movie

[dougdoepke · 3 June 2014]

Fine Autry oater, with right mix of action and song. Foreman of ranch Gene has got to make sure his dead boss's wishes are carried out. Trouble is the estate goes to boss's city-fied daughter who's intent on marrying a fortune hunter. Worse, the no-goodnik has hooked up with local baddies. So Gene and Frog have got their hands full. Lots of scenic backdrop to the hard riding. Also, some well choreographed fist-fights. Then too, the storyline combines well with the rest of the matinée mix, always a challenge for these features. I really like the staging of the first rendition of Gold Mine…. It almost brought a tear to the eye of this old cynic. And look for a little gender-bending from the portly Ainsworth in her mannish outfits. Seems unusual for a matinée. I guess they figured kids wouldn't notice since she's supposed to be funny. Anyhow, it's a well-done hour from Republic Pictures who've decked Gene out in some of the spiffiest western outfits this side of Nashville.

An "8" on the Matinée Scale

"Oh, cattle rustlers! How romantic."

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 10 March 2013]

Going back a couple of years, it was easy to go week after week with an Encore Western Sunday noon broadcast of a Gene Autry flick and never catch a repeat. But after a while of course, one's luck begins to run out. Until today, when "Gold Mine in the Sky" turned up, and I was back in the saddle again so to speak with Gene and sidekick Smiley Burnette.

As I think about it now, there's a whole bunch of unconnected dots occurring in the story, so maybe I'll mention just a few. This was one of those 'modern day' Westerns in which automobiles appeared alongside cowboys on horseback, and it was interesting to hear Smiley make a comment about newspaper and radio personality Walter Winchell, but you had to be quick to catch it. The principal female character was named Cody Langham (Carol Hughes), but I couldn't figure out if the Langtry Inn in Horseshoe, Wyoming was named after her father and Gene or not, or just a coincidence. It was never specifically mentioned, so I guess it's left up to the viewer.

As for events in the story, things get muddled with the staged shoot-out between the good guys and the good guys, and if you can tell me why Smiley needed to impersonate Jane Crocker (Cupid Ainsworth) skirt and all, then you were paying better attention than I was. As for Gene, he's usually a pretty sharp cookie in these films, but you have to admit, that was a pretty dumb move when he handed villain Cummings (Craig Reynolds) the telegram that implicated himself in the shakedown against Miss Cody - it went right into the fireplace!

Well, I guess this stuff didn't have to make sense to the matinée fans of the Thirties. There's plenty enough chase scenes and shoot-outs to keep the youngsters happy here, along with Smiley's antics and the song contributions of Gene, The Golden West Cowboys, and the female trio portrayed by the Stafford Sisters who didn't look like sisters at all. It's all entertaining enough, but if I were writing the story, I think I'd leave out the part where Miss Cody runs over Annabella the pig.

gold mine in the sky is a gold mine of entertainment

[froberts73 · 9/10 · 1 March 2011]

Actually, I would have given this a full 10, but felt I would be chortled at giving an Autry western that many points.

This picture, Autry's best as far as I am concerned, has a very good story, wonderful performances, more laughs than most pictures listed as comedies, and two disparate female leads, sort of a Martin and Lewis thing, one that is easy on the eyes (and then some) and the other a comic foil with a butch appearance for good measure.

Miss Hughes, comely? That's a weak word. She is ddg - drop dead gorgeous, and handles her comedic portions very, very well. Hard to believe she was Regis Philbin's former mom-in-law. Her only marriage was to Frank Faylen who had many movie and television appearances to his credit, including a running role on Dobie Gillis.

Cupid (real name Helen) Ainsworth is a portly lady, best described as a hoot. She was, during her long career, also a writer and a producer. In this flick she lusts after Smiley Burnette. (I spent a day with him and it was great fun. Rufe Davis was there as well. He was one of the original Three Mesquiteers. We had a mutual friend in Frank Rice, half of the team of Mustard and Gravy, appearing with Eddy Arnold. When I was them they were partnered on the "Petticoat Junction" choo-choo.)

This is probably the most light-hearted western that ever came from Republic, and it features some really good western music including, of course, the title tune.

Even if the old black-white westerns are not your cup of Lipton, you will still enjoy this movie. If you like action, there is plenty of that.

The plot has to do with a fake kidnapping, winding up as a real kidnapping. The meanies are well-groomed city slickers, outmaneuvered at almost every turn by a youthful Gene Autry.

So-o-o, there is nothing really complicated about this movie, it is just pure enjoyment, top to bottom.

One of Gene's best ever

[corporalko · 10/10 · 18 February 2021]

This was one of the very best of Gene Autry's early Westerns, filmed just after he and Republic Pictures owner Herbert Yates reached a compromise agreement on a salary dispute that had led Gene to go on strike for a few months. The title song, "Gold Mine in the Sky," is one of the most beautiful Western songs I've ever been privileged to hear, and the scene early in the movie when Autry sings the song to his boss who has been fatally injured in a horse-racing accident brought tears to my eyes.

An earlier reviewer, froberts73, also said he liked the movie but that he wouldn't give it a "10" rating for fear he would be teased and laughed at for rating a Gene Autry movie that high. Well, sir, Gene Autry was the most popular Western star at the box office for six years, 1937 through 1942 when he enlisted in the military during World War II, and I don't know why you, and many other reviewers, delight in referring to his movies as "oaters" and other disparaging names, and often describe a particular Autry film as "not up to his usual standard."

This film does feature the boss's ranch being inherited by his spoiled Eastern heiress daughter, and depicts the situations that became common in a number of Gene's later movies where he had to deal with such women (always beautiful, of course). But this film has different situations, humorous dialogue here and there, some very fine music, and several great action scenes.

So, Mr. froberts73, I'll give "Gold Mine in the Sky" a very solid "10" rating, and if people want to laugh, let them. It reminds me of a story about Gene when he was well into his successful career, and was leaving a dining room-saloon with a friend one evening when a drunk came up to him and said, "Aren't you Gene Autry?" The singing cowboy answered, "Yes, sir, I sure am." The drunk then said, "Well, Autry, you can't sing, you can't act, and you can't ride!" Gene just smiled, put his hand on the man's shoulder in a friendly fashion, and replied, "That's right, mister! I can't sing, I can't act, and I can't ride! And I've got $3 million to prove it!"

Gene always cried all the way to the bank.