I have to admit that the subject of stock car racing has only passing interest for me. Only with other aspects in the plot could I remain interested in films like this, "Indianapolis Speedway" and "Grand Prix". Even boxing films, a subject I am not a fan of, are more exciting generally on screen because of the crime elements and the darkness of film noir attached. But with Stanwyck and Gable, in their second film together (and only romantic pairing), together, that was enough to give this film a repeat viewing. Gable is of course a stock car racer, and Stanwyck the world's foremost female columnist. She wants to do a story on him after his driving (for the second time) causes another driver to be killed during a race. They don't click at first (a natural to lead to romance in these kind of films) but eventually the sparks fly.
The race car sequences I must admit in this film are intense, and Stanwyck's toughness is nice to see Gable to have to reckon with compared to his recent leading ladies of Lana Turner and Loretta Young. Stanwyck's short Jane Wyman/Mamie Eisenhower hairstyle doesn't fully suit her but of the veteran stars of the 30's and 40's, she was one of the few that aged gracefully and (mostly) naturally. The same year, she was ravishing with long hair in the western noir "The Furies".
Still, this is an adult picture with mature romance (stars nearing 50) and has the distinction of legendary MGM director Clarence Brown. It is also a historically significant picture politically because of the recent investigation into communists in Hollywood, its co-stars being extreme conservative Adolph Menjou (who allegedly named names during the hearings) and soon-to-be blacklisted Will Geer. It should be noted that they do not appear on screen together. In a pivotal political plot point, Stanwyck shines in a scene where she threatens to destroy a public figure to his face while trying on a dozen pair of shoes.
The third pairing of Stanwyck and Menjou (after 1932's "Forbidden" and 1939's "Golden Boy"), their relationship here is quite different, as Menjou's character seems intent on manipulating Stanwyck into remaining a basically loveless hard as nails columnist. This asks the question, can a tough female columnist remain objective in a story when she's in love with the subject of it? Scrappy and facicious, Stanwyck also shows a human side when one of her victims takes his own life. She claims to Gable, "Don't you know? You're nobody until somebody loves you", all the while unsure of where this will lead her in her career. The teaming is memorable for its reverse of what Katharine Hepburn said about Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers; In this case, Stanwyck gives Gable "class" while Gable gives Stanwyck "sex" (i.e. femininity).
This is a man's picture where the woman is just as important rather than an outsider looking in. Stanwyck is very alluring in a scene cooing with Gable on the phone while he is in the next room (on another line) watching her. For me, it is also a film that as I read into things not said in the script I began to rate higher than my original viewing 20 years ago.
The race car sequences I must admit in this film are intense, and Stanwyck's toughness is nice to see Gable to have to reckon with compared to his recent leading ladies of Lana Turner and Loretta Young. Stanwyck's short Jane Wyman/Mamie Eisenhower hairstyle doesn't fully suit her but of the veteran stars of the 30's and 40's, she was one of the few that aged gracefully and (mostly) naturally. The same year, she was ravishing with long hair in the western noir "The Furies".
Still, this is an adult picture with mature romance (stars nearing 50) and has the distinction of legendary MGM director Clarence Brown. It is also a historically significant picture politically because of the recent investigation into communists in Hollywood, its co-stars being extreme conservative Adolph Menjou (who allegedly named names during the hearings) and soon-to-be blacklisted Will Geer. It should be noted that they do not appear on screen together. In a pivotal political plot point, Stanwyck shines in a scene where she threatens to destroy a public figure to his face while trying on a dozen pair of shoes.
The third pairing of Stanwyck and Menjou (after 1932's "Forbidden" and 1939's "Golden Boy"), their relationship here is quite different, as Menjou's character seems intent on manipulating Stanwyck into remaining a basically loveless hard as nails columnist. This asks the question, can a tough female columnist remain objective in a story when she's in love with the subject of it? Scrappy and facicious, Stanwyck also shows a human side when one of her victims takes his own life. She claims to Gable, "Don't you know? You're nobody until somebody loves you", all the while unsure of where this will lead her in her career. The teaming is memorable for its reverse of what Katharine Hepburn said about Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers; In this case, Stanwyck gives Gable "class" while Gable gives Stanwyck "sex" (i.e. femininity).
This is a man's picture where the woman is just as important rather than an outsider looking in. Stanwyck is very alluring in a scene cooing with Gable on the phone while he is in the next room (on another line) watching her. For me, it is also a film that as I read into things not said in the script I began to rate higher than my original viewing 20 years ago.