Adventure (1945)

Director:

Victor Fleming

Writers:

Frederick Hazlitt Brennan (writer)
Clyde Brion Davis (novel)

Release Date:

28 December 1945 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Comedy

Tagline:

Gable's Back ! And Garson's Got Him ! What A Battling Sizzling Love Team !

Plot:

Sea-going roustabout falls for meek librarian. |

Plot Keywords:

Librarian | Sailor | Sailing | Marriage | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Clark Gable	...	Harry Patterson
Greer Garson	...	Emily Sears
Joan Blondell	...	Helen Melohn
Thomas Mitchell	...	Mudgin
Tom Tully	...	Gus
John Qualen	...	Model T
Richard Haydn	...	Limo
Lina Romay	...	Maria
Philip Merivale	...	Old Ramon Estado
Harry Davenport	...	Dr. Ashlon
Tito Renaldo	...	Young Ramon Estado
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stanley Andrews	...	Bit part (unconfirmed)
Florence Auer	...	Landlady (unconfirmed)
Pedro de Cordoba	...	Felipe (unconfirmed)
Joseph Crehan	...	Ed (unconfirmed)
Rex Ingram	...	Preacher (unconfirmed)
Garry Owen	...	Jabbo (unconfirmed)
Harry Wilson	...	Big mug (unconfirmed)

Also Known As:

The Big Shore Leave (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

135 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #11243)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The film was a critical and commercial disaster upon release, effectively ending its star Clark Gable's reign as "The King of Hollywood" and his viability as a box office champion. He was so disappointed by the finished film that he did not agree to act again until more than a year had passed.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Clark Gable: Tall, Dark and Handsome (1996)

On and on

Clark Gable and Greer Garson were the highly touted combo in "Adventure" when it opened in 1945. It was Clark Gable's first film after the war, and the original slogan was "Gable's back, and Garson's got him!" Well, not really.

Of all of the movie stars who returned after World War II, Gable had it the worst. Older than the other movie star soldiers, the years he lost were more precious, plus he had been widowed recently. It would be several years before he started to get good roles in good movies again. Frankly, this heavily scripted film wasn't one of them.

"Adventure" is the story of a man, Harry Patterson, committed to a life of freedom on the sea and good fun on shore. Garson is Emily, the librarian he meets, spars with, and falls for. Joan Blondell plays her roommate, Helen, with whom Harry has an initial attraction. Thomas Mitchell plays fellow seaman Mudge, who serves in a way as Harry's conscience.

There are several problems with this film. First, there is a mystical-spiritual-fantasy aspect to the story that is not brought out in Victor Fleming's direction. The dialogue is weighty, and the whole thing is slow going. The casting is a miss, with the exceptions of Joan Blondell and Mitchell. Garson at 41 isn't quite right for Emily and isn't well cast against Gable. Someone like Maureen O'Hara might have been better. Gable is one dimensional - I would suggest this is Fleming's fault. The direction is not strong or focused.

Overall, a disappointment, long, and overdone.