Just Another Sunset
Having not been back home for 10 years Roy (Roy Rogers) decides to return when he hears rumours surround a judge being corrupt and an old friend being duped out of their ranch. But having journeyed home with his friend Gabby (George 'Gabby' Hayes), Roy is surprised by the frosty reception he gets until he learns he is a dead ringer for bad guy Bill Sloane (Roy Rogers). Deciding to use his looks to bring in some outlaws by pretending to be Sloane things turn awry when the real Sloane arrives.
I enjoy these early-ish westerns as they are simple entertainment and nothing more and "Sunset of the Desert" is as simple as any. It has all the ingredients you would expect from an early Roy Rogers western with danger, a love interest, a typical sidekick character and a musical element as well with some good old boys as in the "Sons of the Pioneers" popping up with a fun little song.
The trouble is that whilst "Sunset of the Desert" is entertaining for those who enjoy old westerns it doesn't really offer anything up which is new. The whole doppelganger storyline had been done in other western movies whilst the whole treachery and blackmail of those in charge of the town is one of those cliches which featured in so many westerns. There are some fun lines including one with Gabby Hayes being referred to as Santa and whilst I have seen it in a more recent movie this one also features a blind pie auction. But there is little which will grab a western fans full attention as it is all regular stuff.
What this all boils down to is that "Sunset of the Desert" is just a typical Roy Rogers' western for those with an interest in either his or older westerns but not for those who stumble across it in the hope of being entertained by something different.
