Producer: Arthur Freed. An M-G-M Picture copyright 25 May 1949 by Loew's Inc. Released 15 July 1949 in U.S.A.; 5 December 1949 in U.K. New York opening at the Capitol: 30 June 1949. Australian release: 1 December 1949. 9,349 feet. 103 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: A clean casino operator is beset by both an ungrateful family and too-grateful friends.
NOTES: M-G-M production number: 1444. Shooting commenced 4 January 1949 and wound up 26 April 1949 with a few re-takes on 5 May 1949. Negative cost: $1,465,641 (including $50,000 to 20th Century-Fox who owned the screen rights to Heth's 1945 novel; $29,167 in salary to screenwriter Richard Brooks; $68,100 in fees to director Mervyn LeRoy; and $241,250 contractual payments to Clark Gable). Initial worldwide rentals gross: $3,205,000.
PRINCIPAL PROBLEM: Gable disappoints.
COMMENT: An extremely popular film in foreign parts, where Gable still had a very large 1950 following. Mind you, I suspect many audiences found the movie disappointing. Too much talk and too little action. And a distinct lack of budget largesse. Just under $1½ million sounds more than adequate until you examine the details. Close to $1 million gone on payments to cast and crew, doesn't leave much room for gloss after deducting studio overheads.
The film opens in an admirable fashion with a wide diversity of camera angles and camera set-ups edited at a smart pace. The screenplay very skillfully and subtly imparts needed information. But later on, the script bogs down in some very tiresome domestic passages - and there is some unconvincing acting here from young Darryl Hickman. Against this, there are engrossing character portrayals by Stone, Morgan, Corey, Rober and Conrad, whom Brooks provides with some first-class dialogue. Gable's acting is efficient, but he does not make as much of the role as we would expect.
Atmospheric photography and appropriately drab and realistic sets are major assets.
SYNOPSIS: A clean casino operator is beset by both an ungrateful family and too-grateful friends.
NOTES: M-G-M production number: 1444. Shooting commenced 4 January 1949 and wound up 26 April 1949 with a few re-takes on 5 May 1949. Negative cost: $1,465,641 (including $50,000 to 20th Century-Fox who owned the screen rights to Heth's 1945 novel; $29,167 in salary to screenwriter Richard Brooks; $68,100 in fees to director Mervyn LeRoy; and $241,250 contractual payments to Clark Gable). Initial worldwide rentals gross: $3,205,000.
PRINCIPAL PROBLEM: Gable disappoints.
COMMENT: An extremely popular film in foreign parts, where Gable still had a very large 1950 following. Mind you, I suspect many audiences found the movie disappointing. Too much talk and too little action. And a distinct lack of budget largesse. Just under $1½ million sounds more than adequate until you examine the details. Close to $1 million gone on payments to cast and crew, doesn't leave much room for gloss after deducting studio overheads.
The film opens in an admirable fashion with a wide diversity of camera angles and camera set-ups edited at a smart pace. The screenplay very skillfully and subtly imparts needed information. But later on, the script bogs down in some very tiresome domestic passages - and there is some unconvincing acting here from young Darryl Hickman. Against this, there are engrossing character portrayals by Stone, Morgan, Corey, Rober and Conrad, whom Brooks provides with some first-class dialogue. Gable's acting is efficient, but he does not make as much of the role as we would expect.
Atmospheric photography and appropriately drab and realistic sets are major assets.