Public Cowboy No. 1: A Saturday Matinee in 1937 (Or in my messy little living room…)

Okay, listen up – I just watched Public Cowboy No. 1 from 1937, and I got to say, it’s a real shot of American optimism, a kind you don’t even get on Valborg when the bonfires are at their biggest. Gene Autry – yeah, cowboy king himself – rides and sings his way through this one, with Smiley Burnette cracking wise at every possible moment. It’s directed by Joseph Kane, the guy who pretty much invented the B-western, you know? I’ve seen a lot of cowboy flicks over the years, especially after farfar got that dusty box of VHS tapes from Coop Extra. But this one stuck out for me, maybe because there’s an honest-to-God cop versus cowboy face-off that feels more Göteborg hamn than Texas.

The plot is, eh, what you’d expect – modern crooks using radios and trucks and suddenly the local sheriff’s like, “Cowboys are old news.” But Autry’s got his guitar and that big smile, and the whole film kind of says, “Ey, don’t count out tradition just yet.” That’s actually kind of sweet, even if it’s a bit corny. Still, it got me thinking of the time I tried to herd cows at a friend’s farm in Dalarna and ended up running from them instead. No radio, just a really mad ko and a ruined pair of jeans.

The music is catchy, Autry’s voice is smoother than en nybakt kanelbulle, and there’s enough chase scenes to keep you awake, even on a rainy November kväll. Real talk: It’s creaky, the dialogue gets dodgy, the tech bits are straight-up hilarious in 2024, but it’s got heart. If you want old-school cheese that doesn’t care about being hip, this is actually charming. Plus, who doesn’t need a little cowboy dream sometimes?

watch the full movie on Mavshack Movies on YouTube

please note that there may be geographical blocking implemented.