Add your email and we'll match picks to the services you stream at home.

Poster for Riders of the Whistling Pines

Riders of the Whistling Pines

Seen it?

1949 | 70 min | Action, Drama, Music, Western

Monday Morning Maybeearly rating

Why it’s a Monday Morning Maybe

With almost no lasting buzz and soft box office, this one could be a tough watch. Keep your phone handy.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Tailor-made for people who like their stories at full throttle and western fans. Popcorn viewing in the best sense.
The mood
Exciting.
The pace
Lets scenes breathe, at 1 hr 10 min. An easy one to fit in on a school night.
What might put you off
  • Made in 1949: an older pace and style.
  • Not for anyone who finds explosions tiring.

While trailing Forest Ranger Charles Carter, who is suspected of permitting lumber man Henry Mitchell to cut restricted timber, Gene fires at a dangerous mountain lion and apparently kills Carter. Actually, Bill Wright, Mitchell's associate, killed Carter because the ranger had discovered tussock moth infestation in the forest, and if the infestation was not reported, the trees would die and have to be cut, thereby profiting Mitchell and Wright. In order to compensate the best he can, Gene sells his sportsman's camp and gives the money to Carter's daughter Helen . En route to Texas, Gene discovers the infestation and is assigned by the Forest Department to supervise the program of spraying the area with DDT from the air. After the first day of spraying, the DDT is blamed by furious stock men for the many animals found dead of poisoning.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsNot counted

    Not enough reviews on record yet

  • AudiencesNot counted

    Not measured yet: not enough ratings

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerBelow par

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    About 1K people sought it out in the past year

More like this

Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks

Cast & crew

Directed by John English

  • Gene AutryGene Autry
  • ChampionChampion
  • Patricia BarryHelen Carter
  • Jimmy LloydJoe Lucas
  • Douglass DumbrilleHenry Mitchell
  • Damian O'FlynnBill Wright
  • Clayton MooreHenchman Pete
  • Harry CheshireDr. Daniel Chadwick
  • Leon WeaverAbner Weaver
  • Jerry ScogginsThe Cass County Boys