The Spoilers (1942)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Ray Enright

Writers:

Rex Beach (novel) and
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:

The character of the lawyer Wheaton is played by William Farnum, who played the John Wayne role of Roy Glennister in the 1914 original film version (The Spoilers (1914)) of this story.

Quotes:

Glennister: I imagine that dress is supposed to have a chilling effect. Well if it is, it isn't working, 'cuz you'd look good to me, baby, in a burlap bag.

Movie Connections:

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

No fighting in here allowed unless it's over me.

We are in Nome, Alaska, miner Roy Glennister {John Wayne} and his partner Dextry {Harry Carey}, are forced to fight to save their gold claims from the crooked commissioner, Alexander McNamara {Randolph Scott}. Backed by sultry saloon owner and entertainer, Cherry Malotte {Marlene Dietrich}, the team must overcome the odds and suspect politicians in order to get their just deserts.

Rex Beach's novel has been adapted five times thus far, and it's not hard to see why because the story is as solid as it gets. This take on the source has a wonderful sense of fun and adventure oozing from it, the cast are uniformly great and the direction from Ray Enright is tight and unobtrusive. Some fine set pieces dot themselves throughout the picture, culminating in a right royal {and lengthy} punch up between Wayne & Scott. No overkilling or tediously ham sequences are here, this is simply an enjoyable Western achieving all it set out to achieve from the off. 6.8/10