I just re-watched this film and my rating will slip from a "7" to a strong "6".
There was a time when, like most of America, I'd watch any western movie. Things have changed for America, and widely-watched westerns are a rarity. And, the western that will hold my attention is a rarity, as well. This film is not one of the great westerns, but it was interesting enough to hold my attention. I'm not sure that's a very high bar.
The beginning is interesting...a rebel raid on a Union payroll just outside of Gettysburg on a fateful day. Rather than surrender the payroll, Errol Flynn burns it, and as a result is drummed out of the army. Incidentally, there is one little problem here -- the landscape looks absolutely nothing like Gettysburg. Ah well.
Errol Flynn (with sidekick Tom D'Andrea) then strikes out for Nevada, but his attitude has soured against life and he becomes ruthless. He takes over some gambling equipment and heads west, taking away a wagon train business from a lady (Ann Sheridan) who had already rented the wagons for her and her husband's mine...of course, in the same town as Flynn had decided to set up a saloon. Romantic spanks fly, although only on Flynn's side.
Once in the wild west town, the saloon is built and Flynn gains a share of the mine owned by Sheridan and her husband. Flynn remains rather ruthless, although he does drink milk rather than whiskey. But, like many ruthless men, Flynn goes too far. He sends Sheridan's husband into Shoshone Indian country, knowing that it means almost certain death. And although he has second thoughts and attempts to rescue him, he is too late. The town begins to turn against him, led by lawyer Thomas Mitchell. Oddly enough, Sheridan is the only one who softens, and marries him. And that's the first BIG problem -- a complete reversal in her attitude toward Flynn's character...and it's not quite clear why. Of course, Warner Brothers can't have Errol Flynn ride off into the sunset (which he actually does here) being the bad guy. So, after lawyer-turned-politician Mitchell is shot to death, Flynn rouses the silver miners to hunt down the guilty party, and in the town center Flynn confesses that all the town's problems rest on him. Cheers. Sunset. Well, that's actually the second big problem -- a sudden reversal in Flynn's character. At least here we understand why...Mitchell's death...but it still seems way too abrupt.
If there's a problem with this film it's that there really is no good guy. It's difficult to like Flynn because of his ruthlessness. Ann Sheridan is too hard a woman to like. Thomas Mitchell, as Flynn's lawyer is just as ruthless as Flynn. Bruce Bennett (as Sheridan's husband) is a weakling. And of course, Barton MacLane is always a bad guy. Perhaps only Tom D'Andrea (later Gillis on "The Life Of Riley") comes off as a likable character.
But saying that the characters are not likable, is not questioning the ability of the acting. It's decent acting here. Flynn was beginning his decline about this time, mostly due to drinking, and while I wouldn't say it's visible, he got a lot of blame for what was seen as an ineffective film. Flynn, though in more of a business character than a swashbuckler, is reasonably good here, as is Sheridan. But perhaps the highest honors should go to Thomas Mitchell, who alternately plays a drunk, a serious lawyer, a drunk again, and then a rising politician who goes against Flynn's silver interests.
And then there's the score by Max Steiner. I can't tell what the problem is with this score. Was it just a plodding score (rather unlike Steiner) or was the film not preserved well, resulting in distortion. All I know is that what was broadcast on TCM this time around was annoying in terms of the score.
This is one of those films that had a strong story that simply didn't quite come together. And that's the director's fault -- Raoul Walsh. He and Flynn had a negative history together already, and here I think it affected the film.
Still worth watching, but hardly one of Flynn's best movies.
There was a time when, like most of America, I'd watch any western movie. Things have changed for America, and widely-watched westerns are a rarity. And, the western that will hold my attention is a rarity, as well. This film is not one of the great westerns, but it was interesting enough to hold my attention. I'm not sure that's a very high bar.
The beginning is interesting...a rebel raid on a Union payroll just outside of Gettysburg on a fateful day. Rather than surrender the payroll, Errol Flynn burns it, and as a result is drummed out of the army. Incidentally, there is one little problem here -- the landscape looks absolutely nothing like Gettysburg. Ah well.
Errol Flynn (with sidekick Tom D'Andrea) then strikes out for Nevada, but his attitude has soured against life and he becomes ruthless. He takes over some gambling equipment and heads west, taking away a wagon train business from a lady (Ann Sheridan) who had already rented the wagons for her and her husband's mine...of course, in the same town as Flynn had decided to set up a saloon. Romantic spanks fly, although only on Flynn's side.
Once in the wild west town, the saloon is built and Flynn gains a share of the mine owned by Sheridan and her husband. Flynn remains rather ruthless, although he does drink milk rather than whiskey. But, like many ruthless men, Flynn goes too far. He sends Sheridan's husband into Shoshone Indian country, knowing that it means almost certain death. And although he has second thoughts and attempts to rescue him, he is too late. The town begins to turn against him, led by lawyer Thomas Mitchell. Oddly enough, Sheridan is the only one who softens, and marries him. And that's the first BIG problem -- a complete reversal in her attitude toward Flynn's character...and it's not quite clear why. Of course, Warner Brothers can't have Errol Flynn ride off into the sunset (which he actually does here) being the bad guy. So, after lawyer-turned-politician Mitchell is shot to death, Flynn rouses the silver miners to hunt down the guilty party, and in the town center Flynn confesses that all the town's problems rest on him. Cheers. Sunset. Well, that's actually the second big problem -- a sudden reversal in Flynn's character. At least here we understand why...Mitchell's death...but it still seems way too abrupt.
If there's a problem with this film it's that there really is no good guy. It's difficult to like Flynn because of his ruthlessness. Ann Sheridan is too hard a woman to like. Thomas Mitchell, as Flynn's lawyer is just as ruthless as Flynn. Bruce Bennett (as Sheridan's husband) is a weakling. And of course, Barton MacLane is always a bad guy. Perhaps only Tom D'Andrea (later Gillis on "The Life Of Riley") comes off as a likable character.
But saying that the characters are not likable, is not questioning the ability of the acting. It's decent acting here. Flynn was beginning his decline about this time, mostly due to drinking, and while I wouldn't say it's visible, he got a lot of blame for what was seen as an ineffective film. Flynn, though in more of a business character than a swashbuckler, is reasonably good here, as is Sheridan. But perhaps the highest honors should go to Thomas Mitchell, who alternately plays a drunk, a serious lawyer, a drunk again, and then a rising politician who goes against Flynn's silver interests.
And then there's the score by Max Steiner. I can't tell what the problem is with this score. Was it just a plodding score (rather unlike Steiner) or was the film not preserved well, resulting in distortion. All I know is that what was broadcast on TCM this time around was annoying in terms of the score.
This is one of those films that had a strong story that simply didn't quite come together. And that's the director's fault -- Raoul Walsh. He and Flynn had a negative history together already, and here I think it affected the film.
Still worth watching, but hardly one of Flynn's best movies.