Sheriff of Tombstone

1941
5.8| 1h0m| en
Details

The mayor has sent for a gunslinger who, though appearing to clean up the town, is really to be the mayor's means of taking the town over. When Roy and Gabby arrive in Tombstone, Roy is mistaken for the gunslinger. Just as Roy is ready to expose the mayor, the real gunslinger shows up.

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Reviews

Matcollis This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.
DipitySkillful an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.
Bluebell Alcock Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies
Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.
mark.waltz Having ignored this genre of films for years (due to the enormous amount of material available and the presumed predictability of these films), I have come to enjoy some of them to the point of opening myself up to studying them further. In the case of "Sheriff of Tombstone", I found this one instantly satisfying, whether it be through the mistaken identity plot line or the efforts of the town's sinister mayor to keep gold claim owners from getting their gold to the mint. Roy Rogers is mistaken for a gun-slinging crook because he is holding the man's sawed-off shotgun, and made sheriff of the very corrupt town of Tombstone. Store owner Elyse Knox, granddaughter of the feisty Zeffie Tilbury, at first wants nothing to do with Rogers, believing him to be this bad man, and is surprised when Rogers offers her family help in order to protect her claim. But the real gunslinger arrives and this leads to a show-down between good and evil.Tilbury, a delightfully spry elder lady, steals every scene she is in. Best known to "Our Gang" fans as the cranky old lady who befriends Spanky and the gang in "Second Childhood" and as the grandmother in "The Grapes of Wrath", Tilbury is the type of actress who has you eating out of her hands the moment she pops up on the screen, even though she is in only a few scenes here. She reminds me of Judith Lowry, the elderly character actress of the 1970's whom TV audiences adored for her feisty Mother Dexter on "Phyllis". Sally Payne also offers some amusing moments as George "Gabby" Hayes' estranged daughter who gets to perform a few musical numbers along with Rogers. "B" westerns may not necessarily make you think too much, but they are pleasing time-passers, and this one is among the better ones which I have seen.
MartinHafer There are two main types of Roy Rogers films--the early ones (which are quite good) and the later ones (which, sad to say, are pretty limp). Why the difference? Well, the early ones are much more plot-driven and have only a bit of singing here and there. The later ones, generally, are more personality-driven and little attempt is made to make it look like the old West. Roy plays Roy--and there is so much singing that it's more like a musical variety show than a western. I frankly hate these films and look for the better early ones--like "Sheriff of Tombstone".The film begins with Roy and Gabby playing lawmen. They're leaving town because they have successfully civilized the place--bringing law and order to everyone. However, a nasty rogue is going to Tombstone ('Shotgun' Cassidy) and this galoot claims that they're making him sheriff!! Obviously something is amiss--and the pair decide they'll check out this lawless town. And so, posing as Shotgun, Roy investigates--that is, after Gabby shoots the real one (don't worry folks, he DID have it coming).As I said above, the film is very story-driven. The story, while a bit familiar, is well-acted--with nice dialog and enjoyable characters. Not a brilliant film but a very enjoyable one--and all good fun.
bkoganbing In Sheriff Of Tombstone Roy Rogers plays a Wyatt Earp like character who has quit being the marshal of Dodge City and is going west to Tombstone to be with his brothers and settle down in business. Problem is that Tombstone is a town in bad need of taming. The outlaws as headed by Addison Richards see it that way also and they've sent for a notorious outlaw played by perennial western villain Harry Woods to see it's tamed their way.But Woods meets with a funny accident on the way, courtesy of Gabby Hayes no less who beats him to the draw. This may have been Gabby's finest hour as a western sidekick. Roy arrives ahead of Woods and Richards and his henchmen think Roy is Woods.Of course that doesn't last long, but Rogers is resourceful and you know the bad guys will be brought in line before the end of the final reel.Given the constraints of Republic Pictures budget for a B film, this one is not bad for its type. Elyse Knox who became wife of Tom Harmon and mother of Mark Harmon is the leading lady, she's the granddaughter of the head of a clan of mine owners who Richards and his friends are trying to squeeze out of business. Sally Payne is also around in a role as a spunky saloon girl who does a little espionage for Roy on the side. She gets almost as many musical numbers as Roy in this film.Definitely one for Roy and his devoted legion of fans.
Michael Morrison In so many of his movies, Roy Rogers played a character named Roy Rogers. In "Sheriff of Tombstone," though, he is Brett Starr, a refreshing change and another opportunity for Roy Rogers to show he had more than one dimension.Though fans usually didn't need anything other than Roy, "Sheriff of Tombstone" also had unusually good dialogue and a good story, by James Webb (not the current U.S. Senator, although he too is a good writer), with a good screenplay by Olive Cooper.There is a remarkably good cast, with everyone's favorite sidekick, George "Gabby" Hayes, who was actually a fine actor, capable of many types of character.Harry Woods gets one of his biggest roles, and shows some dimensions too, giving one of his best performances.Jay Novello, almost completely unknown today except to us western fans, also shows a surprising ability at characterization. You really have to see this performance to believe it.Adorable Sally Payne plays a character who is both an eccentric personality and a charming singer, a great role for her and a great chance for us to see her ability.Songs, for her and for Roy, come from the great Bob Nolan as well as Sol Meyer and Peter Tinturin, neither of whom I am familiar with, no doubt my loss.Music in Roy Rogers movies is usually rather pedestrian, but the songs here are memorable.The great Joe Kane is both director and associate producer, and his touch helps make this a superb B western.Republic might not have spent a lot of money, but there is a lot of talent and effort in this excellent movie.