Take Me Back to Oklahoma
{{short description|1940 film}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Take Me Back to Oklahoma
| image = Take Me Back to Oklahoma.jpg
| caption =
| director = Albert Herman
| producer = Edward Finney
| writer = Robert Emmett Tansey (screenplay)
| narrator =
| starring = Tex Ritter
Karl Hackett
Bob Wills
| music =
| cinematography = Marcel Le Picard
| editing = Frederick Bain
| studio = Edward F. Finney Productions
| distributor = Monogram Pictures
| released = {{Film date|1940|11|11}}
| runtime = 57 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Take Me Back to Oklahoma is a 1940 American Western film directed by Albert Herman and starring Tex Ritter, Karl Hackett and Bob Wills.{{Cite book |last=Yoggy |first=Gary A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pLbMzGDhTOIC |title=Back in the Saddle: Essays on Western Film and Television Actors |date=1998-09-01 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-0566-4 |pages=64 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Rowan |first=Terry |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aevGBAAAQBAJ |title=The American Western A Complete Film Guide |date=2012-11-18 |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=978-1-300-41858-0 |pages=445 |language=en}}
Plot
Tex and his sidekick Slim ride into the town of Peeko to help out Tex's old friend, Ace Hutchinson, the foreman of the Peeko Stage Line. The stage line, owned by Jane Winters, is being sabotaged by Storm and his gang, who are plotting to take over the line for themselves. Because a race of the coaches will determine who will be awarded the stage franchise, Storm determines to eliminate Tex and orders his gang to steal $2,000 raised at a church benefit and plant it in Tex's saddlebags. In case the law fails to remove Tex, Storm then hires Mule Bates to kill him. Unknown to Storm, however, Tex has befriended Bates's little son, and so Bates informs Tex of Storm's plot. Tex and Bates stage a duel for Storm's benefit, but Storm double-crosses Bates and shoots him. On the day of the race, Tex takes the coach reins from Ace, fends off Storm's treachery and wins the franchise for Jane. At the finish line, Storm is arrested on Bates's testimony, and Tex is exonerated of all charges.
Cast
{{Cast listing|
- Tex Ritter as Tex Lawton
- Bob Wills as Himself, leader Texas Playboys
- Slim Andrews as Slim Hunkapillar
- Terry Walker as Jane Winters
- Robert McKenzie as Deacon Ames
- Karl Hackett as Storm
- Donald Curtis as Henchman Snapper
- Gene Alsace as Henchman Red
- Olin Francis as Mule Bates
- Carleton Young as Ace Hutchinson
- George Eldredge as Sheriff
- Johnny Lee Wills as Texas Playboy
- Leon McAuliffe as Texas Playboy
- Son Caz Lansford as Texas Playboy
- Wayne Johnson as Texas Playboy
- Eldon Shamblin as Texas Playboy
- White Flash as Tex's Horse
}}
Production
= Music =
Music for the film was done by Bob Willis along with part of the Texas Playboys. His 1940 trip to Hollywood for the film introduced his music to the West Coast.{{Cite book |last=Kienzle |first=Rich |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=muswfCiG2TsC |title=Southwest Shuffle |date=2013-10-11 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-71896-0 |pages=5 |language=en}} The film worked Willis and the Playboys into the cast as part of the film. Most of the band remained in Tulsa as the contract was for a small string band, but he returned to Hollywood in 1941 with the entire band to film Go West, Young Lady.{{Cite book |last=Boyd |first=Jean A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8cf6AQAAQBAJ |title=The Jazz of the Southwest: An Oral History of Western Swing |date=2010-01-01 |publisher=University of Texas Press |isbn=978-0-292-78321-8 |pages=99 |language=en}}
Reception
Soundtrack
- "Village Blacksmith" (by Lew Porter and Johnny Lange)
- "Kalamity Kate" (by Lew Porter and Johnny Lange)
- "You Are My Sunshine" (by Jimmie Davis with Charles Mitchell's Orchestra)
- "Good Old Oklahoma" (by Bob Wills)
- "Take Me Back To Tulsa" (by Bob Wills)
- "Going Indian" (by Bob Wills)
- "Lone Star Rag" (by Bob Wills)
- "Bob Wills Special" (by Bob Wills)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|id=0033132|title=Take Me Back to Oklahoma}}
- {{Internet Archive film|id=take_me_back_to_oklahoma|name=Take Me Back to Oklahoma}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Albert Herman}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Take Me Back To Oklahoma}}
Category:American black-and-white films
Category:1940 Western (genre) films
Category:Monogram Pictures films
Category:American Western (genre) films
Category:Films directed by Albert Herman
Category:1940s English-language films
Category:English-language Western (genre) films
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{{1940s-US-film-stub}}