It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.
In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

This week’s musical:
Home in Wyomin’ (1942) – Musical #741

Studio:
Republic Pictures

Director:
William Morgan

Starring:
Gene Autry (as himself), Smiley Burnette, Fay McKenzie, Joe Strauch Jr., Olin Howland, Chick Chandler, Forrest Taylor, James Seay, Charles Lane, Champion (uncredited)

Plot:
Gene Autry (as himself) is a radio star, followed by a photographer, Clementine Benson (McKenzie), and a reporter, Hack Hackett (Chandler), who want to get photos of him to prove he’s a phony and not a true westerner. The reporters and photographer follow Gene to Wyoming, where he travels to straighten out a rodeo star (Seay), who is drinking too much and hurting his career.

Trivia:
• Tom Hanlon plays the radio announcer in the film, and he was the radio announcer on Gene Autry’s radio program, “Melody Ranch.”
• One of five films costarring Gene Autry and Fay McKenzie.
• Filmed at the Agoura Ranch in California.

Highlights:
• Champion the horse nudging Gene Autry as he sings “I’m Thinking Tonight of Her Blue Eyes”

Notable Songs:
• “Any Bonds Today” performed by Gene Autry
• “Tweedle O’Twill” performed by Gene Autry
• “Modern Design” performed by Smiley Burnette
• “I’m Thinking Tonight of Her Blue Eyes” performed by Gene Autry
• “When It’s Twilight in Ole Wyomin’” performed by Gene Autry
• “(Oh My Darling) Clementine” performed by Gene Autry

My review:
I almost felt like a traitor to my family watching — and enjoying — this week’s Musical Monday. We are on Team Roy Rogers, but I’ll admit that I had a good time watching this Gene Autry musical western.

Autry plays himself as a western radio star. He’s called back to a ranch in Wyoming to help straighten out a rodeo friend, Tex (James Seay), who is mixing drinking with roping and riding. When Autry goes to Wyoming, he’s followed by a reporter (played by Chick Chandler) and photographer (Fay McKenzie), who are assigned to get a photospread on the western star. While the photographer initially is set on getting unflattering photos of Autry and outing him as a fake westerner, she and the reporter are charmed by western life. However, while they begin enjoying time on the ranch, there’s a mysterious death and Tex is accused. Autry helps try to solve the crime and figure out who the true murderer is.

This 68-minute film runs true to form of any of these singing cowboy movies: it’s a western, musical and a crime film, fulfilling the genre desires for several different types of viewers. The crime does have an interesting twist at the end that surprised me.

I really enjoy western-style music, so I find the music and setting nostalgic, cozy and relaxing. While I am more of a Roy Rogers person, I can’t deny that I like Gene Autry’s singing. Each song is enjoyable, and I liked the quick World War II tie in of “Any Bonds Today” that kicks off the film.

It’s fun that Gene Autry plays a radio star, because Autry also had a radio show during this time. He was on “Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch,” which aired from 1940 to 1956 on CBS.

While this film was a lot of fun, it also looked wonderful after a restoration.

If you’re looking for a breezy, musical adventure that won’t take up much time, “Home in Wyomin’” will do the trick.

Check out the Comet Over Hollywood Facebook page, follow on Twitter at @HollywoodComet or e-mail at cometoverhollywood@gmail.com