It's hard to believe that this film was directed by the same Ray Enright who handled Swing Your Lady. Swing's direction was routine in the extreme. Here, however, in The Wagons Roll at Night, it's highly imaginative with striking reverse angles and other dramatically composed shots going a long way to overcome the triteness and familiarity of the screenplay. (Bogart had actually appeared in the previous version, Kid Galahad, playing a character who is not represented in this remake). True, the story has undergone a considerable metamorphosis with a change in setting from a boxing ring to a circus, and its principal character from a boxer to a lion tamer, but it's still a disappointingly familiar plot – and in this new setting, it strains credibility even more! Oddly, while he makes his character tough enough, Bogart fails to give it the neurotic, psychopathic edge that would make his actions more believable. Still, he is well served by Sid Hickox's camera sweeping into his face, even though the film editing has a tendency to fade out before the close-up fully registers. The movie is blessed with the usual Warner Brothers production values including splendid montage routines and lavishly peopled and appointed sets. Music and photography are appropriately atmospheric and the film editing is nice and sharp. Eddie Albert is a natural and performs his own stunts with the lions. The climax is superbly edited and so exciting that Albert seems to be playing against the savage beast himself. Sylvia Sidney, however, has an unrewarding role which is imperfectly developed. After an effective introduction, she plays second fiddle to Joan Leslie when Joan finally makes her belated entrance. Actual locations are well utilized and attractively photographed. Sig Rumann has a dramatic role which he tends to caricature. Cliff Clark uses his gravelly voice effectively as the ringmaster and is ideally cast – as is Charley Foy as a perky little pickpocket. Clara Blandick seems somewhat out of place as Ma Williams. All other roles are small. The conclusion is somewhat abrupt. Production values are high and even if the story does leave something to be desired, we are all suckers for a lavish circus background with fast tracking and crane shots along the midway. Perhaps a glimpse of some of the other acts might have been welcome too, instead of focusing exclusively on the lions.
Review of The Wagons Roll at Night
