In Old Santa Fe: Gene Autry and a whole lot of dust

If you're looking for a tight, high-stakes thriller, you should probably skip In Old Santa Fe. But if you have a soft spot for grainy, black-and-white westerns where the plot matters less than how many times someone says 'partner,' you'll get a kick out of it. It’s definitely for the classic film completists; modern viewers raised on slick pacing might find themselves checking their phones by the second act.

Honestly, the plot is just an excuse to get to the next musical number or horse chase. Kentucky gets his horse stolen in a rigged race, which is a classic trope, but watching it unfold feels more like watching a dress rehearsal than a finished movie.

It’s funny how these old films treat murder charges like a minor inconvenience. Kentucky is accused of killing a stagecoach driver, but he seems more worried about the horse. Priorities, right? 🐎

Gene Autry is in here, looking like he's still figuring out how to be the guy everyone remembers. There's none of that big-star ego yet. Just a guy with a guitar and a hat that’s arguably too big for his head.

The little things that stuck out:

• There is a scene where the dialogue sounds like it was recorded in a tin can. It’s charming in a 'they were making this up as they went' sort of way.
• The horses clearly have more personality than half the cast.
• I’m pretty sure I saw the same extra walk past the saloon entrance four different times.

It feels a lot like Peggy of the Secret Service in that it's a product of its time that doesn't care if you keep up with the story. It just wants to move forward. Sometimes, the camera lingers on a landscape shot for way too long. It’s like the director just forgot to yell cut.

It’s not as polished as Olympia, that’s for sure. But there’s a certain grit to it that makes it feel real, even when the acting is leaning hard into the theatrical side of things. Gabby Hayes is, as always, doing the heavy lifting by just existing and being grumpy.

Don't expect a masterpiece. Just expect a lot of sand, a few bad guys in vests, and a plot that’s thinner than a cheap diner napkin. It's a weirdly comfort-food experience if you’re in the right mood.