Public Cowboy, No. 1 (1937)

When withered Sheriff Doniphon (William Farnum) is overwhelmed by his town's drastic rise in cattle rustling, he calls on his deputy, cowboy Gene Autry (Gene Autry), for help. But Autry is bewildered when he discovers that these crafty thieves are utilizing new innovations -- from shortwave radios to airplanes -- to steal herds with lightning speed and stealth. Refusing to be outclassed by modern technology, Autry uses gumption and strategy to bring these crooks to justice.