Reviews (1)

Not Exactly Hitchcock
This B-film from Warner Brothers concerns the mysterious and deadly goings-on at a boarding house owned by Frieda Inescort and Miles Mander, who live there along with their daughter Heather Angel and several boarders. Among the boarders is a struggling writer, an eccentric spinster, and two men involved in shady business. In the course of the film's one hour running time, bodies begin to pile up as the writer tries to figure out the identity of a killer. The actors all express the appropriate amount of shock and confusion as the mystery deepens, and the pace of the film maintains the suspense. The direction could be sharper, and I found the story a little confusing at times, but I did like the twist ending. Very few people have heard of Shadows On The Stairs, and although I think the comparisons to Hitchcock are a real stretch, fans of B-films will want to check this one out. ... Read more

Description

Episodes: "The Double Switch" - Gene sets a cunning trap for a thieving rancher who tries to stage a phony holdup with money earmarked for fixing up country roads. Song: "When the Bloom is on the Sage." "The Star Toter" - When the town sheriff is killed by a bank robber, Gene takes over totin' the star and must bring the bandit to justice while convincing the thief's young son to forsake his father's ways and live on the straight and narrow. Song: "Back in the Saddle Again." "The Posse" - When the town bank is robbed, the trail leads to "Whopper" Daro, a reformed bandit and famous liar. Gene and Pat try to clear Whopper of the crime and track the real bandits while helping Whopper save face with his visiting daughter by pretending that he is the owner of Gene's ranch. Song: "Pretty Mary." "Blackwater Valley Feud" - A land war heats up when a rancher is found murdered. Gene must clear the name of the framed rancher and bring the real killer to justice. Song: "That's My Home." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Morals Behind The Stories
This DVD is the typical Gene Autry Western. Each show portrays great moral value and ideals. In "The Star Toter," Gene show a young boy that the good guys can come out the winner, thus overshadowing the bad influences of a father on the wrong side of the law. In "The Posse" Gene show that everyone deserves a second chance, when he helps an ex-con who refused to give into backmail from the bad guys. These are just two examples that the children that grew up watching Gene Autry learned from. In "Doubleswitch" and "Blackwater Valley Feud", Gene tangles with the bad guys and as always, the cowboy in the white hat is Hero again. The Wrigley Chewing Gum commercials are a flash back into the early years when life was simpler and the Silver Screen legends like Gene Autry were looked up to as role models. The picture quality is great. As an Autry Fan and Collector I give this DVD 5 stars and I strongly urge you to let your children watch the man who as country Singer Johnny Cash once said was "a champion riding on Champion" for a good dose of moral integrity and values. All this Autry Fan can say is "I am glad that Gene Autry Still Rides The Trail." America still needs a Hero like him today!!!

Gene Autry Western Fan (Part2)
Now that I have had a chance to see two of the episodes of this DVD, I would like to to make an additional comment about the shows episodes, the background music is almost unbearable. The music shows no relationship to the action whatsoever, it really grates on the nerves. This is a great pity, because it spoils to some extent what are excellent shows. The shows as I said before have been excellently copied and restored, the shows have all the ingredients of good Gene Autry westerns, good music, plenty of action and have a good moral theme. It's a pity that Gene Autry did'nt pick a musical director who knew how to add the proper music ,and when not to add music, to his shows.

Gene Autry Western Fan
I have just received my copy of "Double Switch" and I am very happy that I ordered it. The DVD is excellent value for money, both in quality and content. I especially like the extra features which shows clippings from some of Gene Autry's films, these clipping serve to illustrate the 10 Gene Autry codes. One of these clippings is in color from the film, "Strawberry Roan", a film I wish was available, as I have never seen this. These clippings added to the other extra features of the disc make this DVD one of the best value Gene Autry items available. Apart from the other available DVD of the Gene Autry Shows on DVD, namely " Gold Dust Charlie" I hope that Image Entertainment will be able to make more Gene Autry shows available to the public on DVD and at the same quality and value. If they do, I would be happy to buy them all. ... Read more

Description

Saddle up, ride along and sing along with America's favorite cowboy into the golden age of television, where a white hat meant hero and a guitar was just as handy as a pearl-handled six-gun. Every week from 1950 to 1955, Gene Autry, the original singing cowboy and star of the rodeo ring, records, radio and the big screen, rounded up a whole herd of thrill-packed adventures and wagonloads of laughter right in America's living room. So, load up your cap gun, grab hold of the reins and get ready to ride off into a black and white sunset on the dusty trail to action and excitement. Episodes: "Gold Dust Charlie" - When Gold Dust Charlie turns up dead, Gene must outwit the claimjumpin' murderer and bring him to justice. Song: "Cowboy Blues." "Head for Texas" - Gene teams up with a down-on-his-luck jockey to stop a band of cattle rustlers who use a clever trick to steal livestock from a lovely lady ranch owner. Song: "Sing Me a Song of the Saddle." "The Doodle Bug" - Gene investigates a series of stagecoach holdups and discovers a gang of thieves and a pretty school marm in distress. Song: "Ridin' Down the Canyon." "The Silver Arrow" - When a witness to murder is found dead, pierced with a silver arrow, Gene and Pat Buttram help the accused man who has been framed. Together they flush out the real killer as he tries to steal the deed to a gold mine. Song: "Can't Shake the Sands of Texas from My Shoes." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Gold Dust Charlie - Gene Autry
If you grew up watching these old westerns on TV you will enjoy This DVD which features the first 4 episodes of one of the earliest of all TV horse operas.Aimed basically at those growing at the time the stories are quite juvenile and corny, nevertheless they are well produced and provide a fine nostalgia trip for those of an appropriate age.
From a technical point of view the picture and sound have been remastered and quality is excellent.Extras include Autry sponsoring Wrigley chewing gum and a Gene Autry singalong jukebox ! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sometimes Ridiculous Programmer
John Loder and Ruth Ford star as a soon-to-be divorced British couple who make a crash landing in the Syrian desert along with American pilot Warren Douglas. They wander into a strange village populated by devil worshippers, and although they first become guests of the sheik, they soon become condemned hostages in retaliation for the execution of the sheik's brothers, Nazi spies, by the Allies. This is a quick programmer from Warner Brothers, and it's not very good. Ford shows some potential as an actress, but Loder and especially Douglas give incompetent performances. Paul Cavanagh, as the sheik, displays some skill, while the rest of the cast is negligible. The dialogue is stilted and the story sometimes ridiculous, with the last fifteen minutes being particularly hard to swallow. It's hard to believe Warner Brothers produced this film the same year as Casablanca! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sometimes Ridiculous Programmer
John Loder and Ruth Ford star as a soon-to-be divorced British couple who make a crash landing in the Syrian desert along with American pilot Warren Douglas. They wander into a strange village populated by devil worshippers, and although they first become guests of the sheik, they soon become condemned hostages in retaliation for the execution of the sheik's brothers, Nazi spies, by the Allies. This is a quick programmer from Warner Brothers, and it's not very good. Ford shows some potential as an actress, but Loder and especially Douglas give incompetent performances. Paul Cavanagh, as the sheik, displays some skill, while the rest of the cast is negligible. The dialogue is stilted and the story sometimes ridiculous, with the last fifteen minutes being particularly hard to swallow. It's hard to believe Warner Brothers produced this film the same year as Casablanca! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Action On The Ground And Above It
This quick little programmer from Warner Brothers stars Lyle Talbot as a hotshot pilot (was there any other kind?) who finds himself mixed up in a plot to steal important government military information. His stewardess girlfriend Ann Dvorak also becomes caught up in the plot. However, character and dialogue aren't what this film is about. Like any Warner Bros film, the emphasis is on action, and director D. Ross Lederman provides the viewer with plenty of aerial action (and ground action as well). The movie moves along quickly and tightly and is finished in just over an hour. As programmers go, it is well done and entertaining, delivering exactly what you would expect. ... Read more