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:
Twilight in the Sierras (1950) – Musical #850

Studio:
Republic Pictures

Director:
William Witney

Starring:
Roy Rogers, Trigger, Dale Evans, Estelita Rodriguez, Pat Brady, Fred Kohler Jr., Russ Vincent, George Meeker
Themselves: Riders of the Purple Sage, Foy Willing

Plot:
Roy Rogers is a state parole officer, trying to help convicts recently released from prison a new life. One is Ricardo Chavez (Vincent), who gets conned into returning to crime by creating counterfeit money when his sister (Rodriguez) is kidnapped. Roy and deputized Pat Callahan (Evans) work to uncover the counterfeit ring.

Trivia:
• Because part of the plot deals with counterfeit, the film opens with the following disclaimer: All currency reproductions are by special permission of the Secretary of the Treasury. Further reproduction in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited.
• Filmed in TruColor

Highlights:
• Filmed in TruColor

Notable Songs:
• “Rootin’ Tootin’ Cowboy” performed by Riders of the Purple Sage
• “Pancho’s Rancho” performed by Estelita Rodriguez, Riders of the Purple Sage, Pat Brady
• “It’s One Wonderful Day” performed by Dale Evans
• “Twilight in the Sierras” performed by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans

My review:
The past few summers, I have highlighted singing cowboy musicals, and always want to highlight the King of Cowboys, Roy Rogers.

However, I yet again need to express my frustration about the butchering Roy Rogers movies. and cutting out the songs. I picked out two other Rogers films to review, but the original release time with what I could find online didn’t match. This signals to me that songs were cut from the film.

While I hoped to review another Roy Rogers film that appeared to be chock full of songs we no longer can enjoy, TWIGLIGHT IN THE SIERRAS (1950) was a pleasant backup, though the plot is admittedly silly.

We have everything from former convicts on parole to kidnapped sisters to dangerous mountain lions to of course, Dale and Roy sparring.

In the film, Roy Rogers is a state parole officer, trying to help convicts recently released from prison a new life. One is Ricardo Chavez (Vincent), who gets conned into returning to crime by creating counterfeit money when his sister (Rodriguez) is kidnapped. Roy and deputized Pat Callahan (Evans) work to uncover the counterfeit ring.

However, though this film stars Roy Rogers, I didn’t feel that there was as much Roy as there could have been. However, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans have some funny moments together. The mountain lion footage seems quite random.

All that to say, TWILIGHT IN THE SIERRAS (1950) is a pleasant film. The TruColor is pretty, but would be even or attractive with a restoration.

Other places you can follow Comet Over Hollywood: 

• Facebook
• Letterboxd
• X at @HollywoodComet
• Instagram
• BlueSky 
• Or e-mail us at cometoverhollywood@gmail.com