THE GREAT MAN'S LADY

US, 1942, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Barbara Stanwyck, Joel Mc Crea, Brian Donlevy, Thurston Hall, Lloyd Corrigan.
Directed by William L. Wellman,

The Great Man's Lady is a piece of Americana, a folk story about a western hero who became a famous politician and founder of a city and the strong woman behind him. Joel Mc Crea is Ethan Hoyt, a frontier man who founds Hoyt City, discovers silver and becomes an important American senator. However, the film is Barbara Stanwyck's. It is one of her best performances. She is persuasive as the 109 year-old woman who tells the story of the 19th century. She is her vigorous self as Hannah Hoyt living through the experiences of the American frontier. Brian Donlevy has a more sympathetic role than usual as Steely Edwards, a gambler.

The film is stirring in its way, moving in the characterisation by Barbara Stanwyck. It has popular ingredients - probably some of the material is cliche, but it is put together in a very interesting and entertaining way. Direction is by veteran action director William Wellman, noted for his aviation films like Wings as well as his westerns. About this period he made The Oxbow Incident as well as the humorous Lady of Burlesque with Barbara Stanwyck. Score is by Victor Young and incorporates classic 19th century themes.

1. Entertaining piece of Americana? Character study?

2. Black and white photography, the 1930s and '40s, the contrast with the 19th century, frontier? Nevada, California, San Francisco? The musical score (including the classical themes)?

3. The title and the opening explanation? The praise of Hannah Hoyt? The praise of the women behind the allegedly great men? The irony of Ethan Hoyt considered as a great man, the unveiling of the monument, the true story? The film's acknowledgement of the strength of the American women of the 19th century? The monuments should be to them?

4. The focus on Hannah Hoyt? The opening in the present, the speculation about her sitting on her porch, the newspapermen watching her, the unveiling of the monument? The journalists rushing to her house? Her answering them but ordering them out? Her dramatic appearance, aged 109? The biographer staying with her? Their talking? Her not wanting to tell the story, the passing of the years? Her decision to talk to the biographer? Her memory of her own life, of Ethan, of the joys, sadnesses? The film returning to the biographer talking with Hannah? The finale of the story? Their walking out of the house, Hannah getting the taxi, going to the monument? Her praise of Ethan and her tearing up the wedding certificate?

5. The character of Hannah: the young girl in Philadelphia, wilfulness, her sisters, engaged to Mr Cadwallader, defying her father and listening to Ethan Hoyt, her enthusiasm for his ideas, attracted to him? His proposal, their eloping? The marriage in the rain - the certificate? The irony of her concealing it later and tearing it up? Going to Hoyt City, the initial disappointment, her pioneering ways? Her pushing Ethan? The pleas to come home? her putting on the pioneer woman act, shooting the rapids, Ethan gambling and her confronting Steely and getting the money back? Ethan's suspicions? Their many years trying for gold? The discovery of silver, her pregnancy, her sending Ethan off? His not knowing? The floods, the birth of the children, their deaths in the rivet? Steely burying them and telling Ethan that Hannah was dead? Her meeting with Steely, decision to go to San Francisco? Her father approaching her, her contempt for him? Her decision to go back to see Ethan, her view of his compromising with big business interests? her persuading him to go on to better things? His success, her keeping in the background? Her presence at his death? A strong and powerful woman?

6. Ethan Hoyt, the frontier man, his dreams, trying to persuade Hannah's father, the attraction towards Hannah, eloping, the marriage, pioneering, his suspicions of Steely? The eight happy years? The discovery of silver? His going off, his disappointment with Hannah? His attack on Steely and shooting him? His marriage and children? His seeing Hannah alive, their talk, her persuading him to change his attitudes, his gaining,strength from her, his subsequent career? Going back to her for his death? The monument to him?

7. The contrast with Steely Edwards, the western conman, the cards, his black assistant? His attraction towards Hannah, her getting the money back? Loyal friendship, his love for her, her inability to return it? His getting her out of the flooded town? Burying her children? Confronting Ethan, being shot? Surviving? His helping Hannah in the gambling place in San Francisco? His dying the same year-as Ethan?

8. Hannah's sisters, her father and his business sense, Mr. Cadwallader and his being a yes-man, confronting Hannah in San Francisco?

9. The biographer, her admiration for Ethan Hoyt, listening to the story, support of Hannah, changing her attitudes?

10. The legends of the West and the reality behind them?