BOOM TOWN
US, 1940, 118 minutes, Black and white.
Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Spencer Tracy, Hedy Lamarr, Frank Morgan, Chill Wills, Lionel Attwill.
Directed by Jack Conway.
Boom Town was a big action romance adventure from M.G.M. in 1940. It relied on the proven box office draw of Clark Cable who had just made Gone With the Wind, Spencer Tracy with his two Oscars (Boys' Town, Captains Courageous) and with the glamour of Claudette Colbert and Hedy Lamarr. The story is by James Edward Grant, writer of several of John Wayne's westerns. It receives the sprawling production values and is directed by Jack Conway (to direct Gable soon in Honky Tonk).
The film is reminiscent of the big best seller and the later television mini-series, but is nonetheless enjoyable for that.
1. Popular entertainment 1940 style? Action? Romance? Drama and comedy? Satisfying in its time? Later?
2. M.G.M. production values: sets, period, black and white photography, musical score (Franz Waxman)?
3. The title, reference to oil exploration and the oil booms of the early 20th. century? A piece of Americana and the American dream? Clark Gable as Big John, background, skills, going to the West, the oil towns, the drilling, his reputation? Friendship with Square John? The American buddy theme?
4. The arrival of Betsy and his falling in love with her? Square John backing out? Marriage, ups and downs of the relationship? His betrayal? The relationship with Karen? Square John attacking him, fight, his losing his money? Reunited at the end?
5. The comparison between Gable and Tracy? Tracy as the other man, devotion to Betsy, facing his disappointment in her falling in love, allowing Big John to marry her, supporting them, the family, wealth, business, failure? His own success? Defending Betsy against Karen? Offering to marry Karen? The fight with Big John, the reconciliation? The happy ending?
6. Betsy as heroine, prim, charming, falling in love with Big John, having to face Square John? Marriage, success, her disappointment with John at the bar, with the girls? Sign of his infidelity? With Karen?
7. The transition from the oil town to society? Losing the money? The support of Square John? Karen as the ferme fatale? The city woman, style, glamour? Relationship with each man? Bowing out?
8. The gallery of minor characters, Frank Morgan and his blustering style as Luther? Lionel Attwill and his blend of sinister presence and power? Chill Wills?
9. The themes of the opening up of the American West? The oil drilling community? Poverty and riches? Lawsuits and protection? The touch macho image? Buddies and love, reconciliation? Real life - or the world of the best-seller? The sure ingredients for popular entertainment in any generation?
