The Cheyenne Social Club

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Gene Kelly was seriously underrated as a director in his post-MGM period, even though he was responsible for the fabulous movie version of Hello, Dolly!. His dry wit is given full rein in this rather tame western, about a couple of cowboys who inherit a brothel. Since the pair are amiable Jimmy Stewart and Henry "Hank" Fonda, pals (and indeed former roommates) since the early 1930s, there's a great deal of affectionate by-play between them, and consequently much audience pleasure to be gained from that. The photography (by western veteran William Clothier) looks good, Shirley Jones is lively as ever, but some may be deterred by Kelly's rather smutty treatment of the subject matter - hard to avoid considering the story and the people involved.