An American Western; A story about a ship captain with a mine claim in Nome, Alaska. He is aided by a saloon-owner who battles an unscrupulous gold commissioner to keep hold of his mine at the height of the gold rush. This is the fourth film adaptation of Rex Beach's 1906 novel. John Wayne gives a commanding performance as the man with right on his side. Spoiler Randolph Scott keeps the tension tight. Marlene Dietrich is striking in brocade evening gowns, bringing huge glamour to the muddy backdrop. It has a fairly implausible saloon brawl as spectacle but this can be forgiven because the story conflict worked. The staging, the costumes, the art direction are all first rate. The performances are strong too for a fairly simple yarn with an uninvolving ending.
Review of The Spoilers
