RAY ENRIGHT

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBB. 

USA, 1942.  Universal Pictures, Frank Lloyd Productions, Charles K. Feldman Group.  Screenplay by Lawrence Hazard, Tom Reed, based on the novel by Rex Beach.  Cinematography by Milton R. Krasner.  Produced by Frank Lloyd.  Music by Hans J. Salter.  Production Design by Jack Otterson.  Costume Design by Vera West.  Film Editing by Clarence Kolster.  

Average adaptation of Rex Beach’s novel (one of five filmed versions, though you’ll be hard-pressed to find any of the other ones) features John Wayne as a man who strikes gold in a turn-of-the-century mining town in the Old West, only to have to protect it from evil dudes who plan on stealing it. What the bad guys don’t realize is, he’s got saloon-gal Marlene Dietrich on his side. Rich characters, but it’s not all that memorable.

Academy Award Nomination:  Best Art Direction-BW