Trouble Along the Way (1953)

An ex-football coach is hired by a small Catholic college to train its football team in the hopes of winning games and making money to save the school from bankruptcy.

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Melville Shavelson (screenplay), Jack Rose (screenplay)

Stars:

John Wayne, Donna Reed, Charles Coburn

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Wayne	...	Steve Williams
Donna Reed	...	Alice Singleton
Charles Coburn	...	Father Burke
Tom Tully	...	Father Malone
Sherry Jackson	...	Carol Williams
Marie Windsor	...	Anne McCormick
Tom Helmore	...	Harold McCormick
Dabbs Greer	...	Father Peterson
Leif Erickson	...	Father Provincial
Douglas Spencer	...	Father Procurator
Lester Matthews	...	Cardinal O'Shea
Chuck Connors	...	Stan Schwegler

Storyline

Struggling to retain custody of his daughter following his divorce, football coach Steve Williams finds himself embroiled in a recruiting scandal at the tiny Catholic college he is trying to save from closure with a winning program.

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Plot Keywords:

catholic | college | college football | american football | window smashing | 

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Taglines:

That all-man "Quiet Man" has a new kind of dame to tame!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance | Sport

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

The football game scenes were filmed at the Polo Grounds in New York, which at the time was the home field of the NFL's New York (football) Giants as well as MLB's New York (baseball) Giants.

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Goofs

Although the movie is set at a college in New York, there is a California flag flying near the stadium when Steve first meets the football team.

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Quotes

Father Burke: You'll find the answer in Deuteronomy, Chapter 32, Verse 15.
[the other priests look at one another]
Father Burke: Well, well? Is there a Bible in the house, or do you have to go to a hotel?

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Connections

Featured in Sports on the Silver Screen (1997)

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Soundtracks

Some Sunday Morning
(uncredited)
Music by M.K. Jerome and Ray Heindorf
First tune played during the first restaurant scene
Second tune played during the second restaurant scene

User Reviews

Sometimes You're Damned if You Do, You're Damned if You Don't!!

Following the triumphant release and run of John Ford's THE QUIET MAN (Argosy Productions/Republic Pictures, 1952), there was a lot more types of roles available to John Wayne. It appears that to the Hollywood Hierarchy, who sort of had 'Duke' pigeon holed or typecast, if you will, John Wayne should be either a Cowboy or a Marine D.I., or something as manly. The concept of having him portraying some "reg'lar feller' or a family guy was just not possible.

But then we had THE QUIET MAN, a role that would require the main character to hit all the emotions. It was a Comedy in the classic sense, as in the Shakespearean sense. And yet it had plenty of serious and definitely moments. There are even some superbly melancholy moments that were as big a tear jerker as any.

So, anxious to have a John Wayne film, and one that would showcase this now extended emotional range 'Duke'. Warner Brothers came up with this family tear-jerker. It was the stuff that the Critics should like and the Public would love.(The operative here being 'should'!) In a nut shell, former Football Coach-turned Bookie, Steve Williams(John Wayne)has had custody of his daughter, Carol(Sherry Jackson) ever since the break-up of a loveless marriage with his 'ex',Anne Williams McCormick(Marie Windsor). Steve and Carol have a fine relationship, and he loves his daughter more than anything in the world.

Now all of a sudden, Steve's home/family situation comes under the scrutiny of the City's Child Welfare Agency. He finds himself right in the cross-hairs of one Miss Anne Singleton(Donna Reed), who has gotten the assignment to either give her imprimatur to their Domestic arrangement, or to vote to chloroform it.

At about that same time, Father William Matthew Burke(Charles Coburn), President of small St. Anthony's College is faced with a dilemma. The constraints of this modern, private Education and even m,ore so, the cost, are working to bring St. Anthony's to its end.

Never say die, Fr. Burke is constantly in prayer and actively looking for a solution. When he looks into the Holy Bible to find inspiration, he quite by chance stumbles onto a passage that advised the reader to "get fat and kick!" That was enough, the fiery old Priest heads out to find a Coach to organize a squad and establish a Football Program at St. Anthony's.

After a less than spectacular meeting, Steve reluctantly accepts the coaching job, it being a case of one hand washing the other. They move into some run down living quarters and Carol starts school at another school.

Father Burke and Carol become very close, each learning a lot fro the other. She gets use of a fine private Library(Fr. Burke's)and he learns some of the intricacies of having a successful College Football program, like Scheduling.

The complications that follow this in this story are well executed by the Director Michael Curtiz and company, even if some of them may seem to be a little old, tired and even obvious.

We do find out just why that the Williams family broke up and why after 10 or 12 years that the New York City Children's Welfare Agency is suddenly so interested in Steve's fitness as a Father with custody.

We are left with a sort of open ended conclusion, but heavily leaning toward Carol and Steve's remaining together. That would happen as long as certain things with a certain female went just right! And now, let's salute this fine supporting cast consisting of, but not limited to: Tom Tully, Marie Windsor, Tom Helmore, Dabbs Grear,Leif Ericson, Lester Matthews,Douglas Spencer, Chuck Connors, Frank Ferguson, Murray Alper and even James Dean(would you believe as an uncredited extra!) The film is warm, heart wrenching, very funny and sort of "seedy", to a small degree.

And incidentally, St. Anthony is our Catholic Patron Saint of "The Lost!"

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Latin

Release Date:

4 April 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Trouble Along the Way

Filming Locations:

Pomona College - 333 N. College Way, Claremont, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1