The Spoilers (1942)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Ray Enright

Writers:

Rex Beach (novel)
Lawrence Hazard (writer)

Release Date:

8 May 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Romance | Western

Tagline:

Crashing Fists in the Gold-Crazed Alaska of '98!

Plot:

In Nome, Alaska, miner Roy Glennister and his partner Dextry, financed by saloon entertainer Cherry Malotte...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Marlene Dietrich	...	Cherry Malotte
Randolph Scott	...	Alexander McNamara
John Wayne	...	Roy Glennister
Margaret Lindsay	...	Helen Chester
Harry Carey	...	Al Dextry
Richard Barthelmess	...	Bronco Kid Farrow
George Cleveland	...	Banty
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Judge Horace Stillman
Russell Simpson	...	Flapjack Sims
William Farnum	...	Wheaton
Marietta Canty	...	Idabelle
Jack Norton	...	Mr. Skinner
Ray Bennett	...	Clark
Forrest Taylor	...	Bennett
Art Miles	...	Deputy

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:16 (nf) | Denmark:11 (2003) | Finland:K-16 | South Korea:12 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #8269)

Filming Locations:

Yukon, Canada

Company:

Frank Lloyd Productions

Trivia:

In the beginning of the movie a man is shot at the hotel and the manager mentions that the victim's name was Lee Marcus. This is also the name of the associate producer of this movie (Lee S. Marcus).

Quotes:

Glennister: I imagine that dress is supposed to have a chilling effect. Well if it is, it isn't working, 'cuz you'd look good to me, baby, in a burlap bag.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#32.5)" (2004)

Good western with big brawl for the climax...

Formula stuff, but entertaining story of bad man RANDOLPH SCOTT and good guy JOHN WAYNE brawling in lusty western style over Yukon saloon queen MARLENE DIETRICH in the 1800s, with Dietrich looking like a glamorized queen of the 1940s era. It's a tidy western directed by Ray Enright in good Warner Bros. style.

MARGARET LINDSAY is pretty but merely decorative as Dietrich's rival for Wayne and RICHARD BARTHELMESS is shockingly aged looking as Dietrich's admirer. He's the one with the boyish good looks who began films in the silent period. You have to wonder what happened to him at 47.

It's a pretty thin story with a very predictable finish. As the bad guy, RANDOLPH SCOTT is stuck with a badly written role which has him assuming a wicked gleam in his eye and a sly grin--but that's about the extent of his characterization. JOHN WAYNE has much more to work with and he fills the role to a T. Both men appear to be in their physical prime, as does Miss Dietrich.

At any moment, I expected saloon queen Dietrich to do either a dance hall number or belt out a song in her own inimitable style, but no such thing. She has a straight dramatic role and never looks anything less than ultra glamorous or stunning throughout with never a hair out of place. The men have the tough roles and the big brawl at the conclusion must have kept the two stunt men busy earning their pay.