The Spoilers (1942)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Ray Enright

Writers:

Rex Beach (novel)
Lawrence Hazard (writer)

Release Date:

8 May 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Romance | Western

Tagline:

Crashing Fists in the Gold-Crazed Alaska of '98!

Plot:

In Nome, Alaska, miner Roy Glennister and his partner Dextry, financed by saloon entertainer Cherry Malotte...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Marlene Dietrich	...	Cherry Malotte
Randolph Scott	...	Alexander McNamara
John Wayne	...	Roy Glennister
Margaret Lindsay	...	Helen Chester
Harry Carey	...	Al Dextry
Richard Barthelmess	...	Bronco Kid Farrow
George Cleveland	...	Banty
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Judge Horace Stillman
Russell Simpson	...	Flapjack Sims
William Farnum	...	Wheaton
Marietta Canty	...	Idabelle
Jack Norton	...	Mr. Skinner
Ray Bennett	...	Clark
Forrest Taylor	...	Bennett
Art Miles	...	Deputy

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:16 (nf) | Denmark:11 (2003) | Finland:K-16 | South Korea:12 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #8269)

Filming Locations:

Yukon, Canada

Company:

Frank Lloyd Productions

Trivia:

In the beginning of the movie a man is shot at the hotel and the manager mentions that the victim's name was Lee Marcus. This is also the name of the associate producer of this movie (Lee S. Marcus).

Quotes:

Idabelle: I sure hope there's some colored folks on that boat. I is gettin' mighty tired pretending Eskimos are from Virginia.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#32.5)" (2004)

for what it is, it's very very good

I like films like THE SPOILERS because they have absolutely no pretense about them. They are simple B-movie-type films with relatively simple plots and familiar actors but pack a lot of predictable but fun entertainment into them. Sure, since it's a John Wayne flick you KNOW that he will win in the end and you KNOW what to expect. And, for me, that's not a bad thing. I like a good old fashioned John Wayne flick like most of the ones he did in the 40s--good, solid, and entertaining. The only odd thing is that the Duke is billed 3rd when it is clearly his film. Top billing went to Marlena Dietrich--who at the time was the bigger star. However, her part is pretty flat and she clearly acts in support of Wayne. And, second billing went to Randolph Scott. But, once again he was clearly not the leading character but the villain. Now if all this doesn't make sense, you need to understand that although Wayne had made many films by 1942, most were B-movies and he still was only just becoming the break-out star he would so clearly be in just a few short years.

In addition to being a good old John Wayne flick (among his better ones of the 40s), the direction and plot are pretty good as well. A very good movie--nearly deserving a score of 8.