dfwesley
An entertaining film made possible by big stars, John Wayne, Marlene Dietrich, and Randolph Scott. It was difficult to get accustomed to seeing Scott in a villain's role or Samuel S. Hinds, either, for that matter. You kept waiting for them to turn into good guys a little later on. Now one can never remember Percy Halton ever playing anything else but evil, or a grouch, at least. The scene with the three of them plotting and scheming, took me by surprise. Marlene Dietrich was her usual sultry self that we have come to expect. I hadn't seen Margaret Lindsay in a long while, and I appreciated her good looks and creditable performance.Did you wonder how Harry Carey could fire that single shot flintlock so rapidly? I don't even recall him loading it either.Included was one of the longest brawls you can imagine between Scott and Wayne. Scott was evidently knocked out but Wayne emerged bloody but happy in Dietrich's arms, as the film ended.
utgard14
John Wayne is a gold prospector who romances Marlene Dietrich and fights crooked Randolph Scott, who's out to steal both his claim and his woman. Strong cast in a fairly typical but enjoyable gold rush western. Dietrich sizzles. She has great chemistry with both Wayne and Scott. Lots of innuendo in her dialogue. For their parts, the two western stars are solid. Scott shines in a rare villainous role. His cohorts in crime in this one are, surprisingly, Samuel S. Hinds and pretty Margaret Lindsay. Duke is good. His climactic bar fight with Scott is the movie's highlight. Harry Carey plays Duke's friend. George Cleveland and Russell Simpson are fun as a couple of grizzled prospectors.
headhunter46
It was refreshing to see John Wayne looking so young and healthy. I hadn't seen any of his earlier movies in years. There is a great surrounding cast with the gorgeous and mysterious Marlene Dietrich, and the ever so calm and collected Randolph Scott. In this adventure Randolph plays a villain. Who would have thought it. He plays the part very well and is almost likable with his sophisticated charm as he attempts to devour all the gold mines with swindling "illegal" paperwork. But in the end his evil ways show through and he is undone by his own greed. But we want to see the good guys win, that's what makes for a great ending. And what a knock down, drag out fight it is. This is one of the best saloon brawls I have ever seen. The plot is straightforward and easily followed, with a plot twist or two to keep it interesting. The sets and props look real enough to convince one you are in Alaska. If you like any of the top ten listed actors/actresses you will enjoy this movie. I got my version from Netflix. It seems they are stocking up on some great older flicks for folks that don't need ten cars flying through the air or over the top special effects,to enjoy a movie. Look for it, enjoy it. I did
Robert J. Maxwell
It gets off to a slow start, a story about miners being cheated out of their claims by crooked bureaucrats and gangsters. Takes an hour before you find out who the spoilers are. They do not include Marlene Dietrich, who plays the owner of the local "dance hall" or whatever it's called, and whose affections Randolph Scott and John Wayne compete for.Boy, is she blond in this one, and with a wig that makes her resemble an olive on a toothpick. Wayne is a cocky guy, rarely serious, with a smile that eerily combines shyness with self-confidence. Scott beams with virility. There is a sneaky "good girl" too, who is actually one of the gangsters. No one puts much effort into any of the roles.It's the kind of movie in which one of the minor villains takes a bead on a good guy having a conversation, is shot dead, and the talk continues without any remarks relevant to the recently deceased. If someone says something even vaguely offensive to another man, his reward is a sock in the jaw and his lights go out.All of the fist fights take place in accelerated motion which, at the time, must have added zest to the action but today draws attention to itself as the expression of a souped-up camera.The climactic fist fight lasts longer than most. Bodies tumble all over the place -- through doors, down staircases, over bars, onto tables, and through huge plate glass windows. Clothing is ripped to shreds and there are bruises and a trickle or two of blood, but nobody's nose is bleeding and no one loses any teeth or breaks a finger.It's shot in California although it's supposed to be the Yukon. You can tell it's a Yukon-type Western because all the characters wear high-laced boots with woolen socks folded down over the tops, instead of cowboy boots. Otherwise it's a cowboy Western.Diverting enough, especially when it gets down to business in the second half. What I want to know is, where the hell is Gabb Hayes?
AD
