THE SPOILERS
US, 1942, 87 minutes, Black and white.
Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott, John Wayne, Margaret Lindsay, Harry Carey, Richard Barthelmass, Samuel S. Hinds, Marietta Canty, Charles Halton.
Directed by Ray Enright.
The Spoilers is based on a novel by Rex Beach who also wrote The World in his Arms. It had been filmed in silent times, soon after the events in the story. This 1942 version was made only 40 years after the events. It is a story of Alaska, a frontier, gold seekers and corrupt officials.
The film was a star vehicle for Marlene Dietrich who had made such an impact in 1929 in Germany in The Blue Angel. She soon went to the United States and during the 1930s made quite a number of films and had an enormous impact. This is also evident in this film, the embodiment of sultriness. Her co-stars are Randolph Scott who was to make westerns continually from 1946 to 1962. He is very suave here, but the villain. John Wayne, who had made a number of small budget westerns, was on the rise after Stagecoach and he is a genial tough hero. Margaret Lindsay is a femme fatale caught up in the gold corruption.
The film is interesting in its emphasis on the law but also the pressure on the miners to move into lawlessness, breaking out at the end as they use a train engine and carriages to break through barriers to their mines. The film ends with a rather long and effective bar brawl between Scott and Wayne.
Their was a remake in 1955 with Jeff Chandler in the John Wayne role, with Anne Baxter and Rory Calhoun.
Of interest is the character of the maid, Idabelle, played by Marietta Canty who had a strong career in films and in charity work. The screenplay is race-friendly, with Idabelle hoping that there would be some coloured men on the ship arriving to save her having to claim that Eskimos were from Virginia! Though made, she works as a partner with Melinda Dietrich.
The film was directed by Ray Enright, a director who could turn his hand to most genres – and did.
1. A popular Alaska story? The novels of Rex Beach? The film versions?
2. The Alaskan setting? 1900? The town of Nome? The streets, offices, gold control, the saloons? The musical score?
3. The title, the crooked elements coming in and the influence of the working of the mines and of the town?
4. The focus on Cherry, Marlene Dietrich and her screen presence, glamour, sultry, the range of costumes? Managing the saloon, downstairs, the upstairs apartments and lavish? Bronco and his attraction to her, working in the saloon? The encounter with Mc Namara, his suave manner, the attraction? Flapjack and the threats to his mine, his offsiders, their drinking, quarrelling? Cherry and her getting the document, hiding it in her garter? The ship coming in, wanting to see Roy, waiting, changing her mind, going to the wharf? Seeing him with Helen? Upset, jealousy, her manner of talking to him, of talking to Helen? Her life at the hotel, the character of Idabelle and her friendship with Cherry, servant?
5. Mc Namara, seemingly respectable, gold-controller, his manner with Cherry? The encounters with Roy? His working with the judge, corrupt, Helen as part of the plan?
6. Roy and the situation with the mine, waiting for the law, the contrast with his friend Dextry, the officials coming to Dextry, his shotgun going off? His not wanting to go to the law?
7. The romantic aspects, Helen and her love for Roy, Roy and the on and off with Cherry, calling her Sport? Her slapping him? The rivalry from Mc Namara?
8. The court sequences, the role of the judge, his promises to Roy, his postponing the judgement? In the hotel, drinking with Mc Namara? Roy and his confrontation? Helen, the aftermath, listening to the plotting, murdering Roy being too much? Cherry’s visit, telling her? Her packing and leaving? Wanting the judge to do the same?
9. The robbing of the bank, Blacking up, lifting the safe? Bronco and his killing the Marshall? Roy returning to Cherry, washing off the black, Idabelle and the washing, coming in and revealing the truth, Roy apprehended, in jail?
10. The plan, the information from Helen, Cherry accompanying the drunk to the jail, putting out the lights, the plan to shoot Roy, his going out the front, escape into the hotel? Cherry and her detaining Mc Namara, Idabelle fainting? Enough time for Mc Namara to be trapped?
11. The detaining of the judge and Helen? The bespectacled official, his confrontation of Dextry in the past, his being part of the plot, his attempt to shoot, Dextry killing him with the shot gun?
12. Roy seconding the train, Flapjack and his men, breaking through the barriers, the shootout? Bronco after killing the Marshall, jealousy of Roy, his being shot?
13. The final fight, the choreography, the length of the fight, giving up guns, fighting and brawling?
14. The defeat Mc Namara? And happy ending for the miners as well is for Roy and Cherry?
