And boy, does Ladd get to show off her pair of pipes throughout A Cowgirl’s Song. I had no idea she could sing like an angel as well as play one on TV. McClure, of course, pulls off her singing but also does some heavy lifting in the performance department. Prince’s rendition of the too-straight-laced boy who is likable but driven to rash acts by ambition hits all the right notes.
“…captures the cowgirl spirit by being double-barreled spunky.”
Armstrong’s script captures the cowgirl spirit by being double-barreled spunky. The only major flaw with the story structure is that by the time the second act closes, the movie seems like it is all wrapped up after an hour. By the time the big concert happens, the major tension left is only figuring out when certain characters are going to start holding hands. Of course, everything isn’t as finalized as it seems. In the last third, we find out what Rufus and the hunky cowboy have been up to behind Hailey’s back.
However, the film faces an uphill push. Television-friendly family films have high stakes running throughout in order to keep viewers through the commercial breaks. There is nothing wrong with keeping things pleasant, but there has to be a ranch that is going to be taken by the bank or something of equal importance at risk. But that is just not the case with A Cowgirl’s Song. The few subplots that do exist are straightforward and low stakes. Heck, even the dad seems to be getting along fine in jail. Still, Armstrong’s singing cowgirls will put you under their rawhide spell. It’s a high kicking time straight outta Chickasha.
"…will put you under their rawhide spell."
