HELL ON WHEELS

 

In Hell On Wheels, Marty plays a popular race car driver/country music singer named Marty Robbins. John Ashley is his brother and his mechanic who makes Marty's car run so good he almost always wins. Their other brother (played by future congressman Robert Dornan) is a revenuer. John wants out of Marty's shadow and to become a driver himself. Ashley quits Marty's operation and opens his own garage where he plans to build his own stock car. In order to get the money for his car, Ashley becomes involved in the local moonshine operation.

Naturally, Marty sings the majority of the songs in the movie - "The Shoe Goes On The Other Foot Tonight", "This Song", "No Tears My Lady", "Would You Take Me Back Again", "I'll Have To Make Some Changes", and "Fly Butterfly Fly". Connie Smith sings two songs - "Ain't Had No Lovin", "The Hurtin's All Over" and The Stonemans perform "Five Little Johnson Girls".

Marty Robbins actually drove a race car in real life. He competed in over 35 NASCAR races entering his last race only a month before he died. So, it's a natural fit for Robbins to play a race car driver who is a county western singer. Hell On Wheels is the perfect drive-in movie because 3/4 of the movie is taken up with either singing or stock car racing leaving plenty of time to go to the concession stand or to make-out. (Do kids today still make-out or does that term seem foreign to them.....if so then how about the word necking?). Watching the film at home, all the filler (singing and racing) gets old after a while, so unless you're really into Marty Robbins or vintage stock cars going round and round the same track be prepared to use your FF button on this one.