This overlooked gem is just the kind of polish that only the studios in their golden days could pull off. The casting is one of the greatest strengths of this very strong picture.
They're aren't many actors who could have carried the lead the way that Clark Gable, the King of Hollywood, did. Maybe Bogart (but to have him as the owner of another gambling joint would have drawn comparisons to "Casablanca"), maybe Spencer Tracy, but Gable as the hard-as-concrete lead with a heart of gold and a strong moral compass was his specialty.
Up and down the cast we see similar custom fit parts and spot-on performances. Alexis Smith as the longtime wife (even though she was 28 when the movie released) . . . Wendell Corey as the spineless brother-in-law (even though he's usually cast as a cop) . . . Frank Morgan, Audrey Totter, Mary Astor, Lewis Stone and often overlooked actors like Marjorie Rambeau and Leon Ames, were perfect in their parts.
Combine this with great direction by Mervyn LeRoy, a great script by Richard Brooks, and subtle and compelling cinematography by Harold Rosson and you've got a great movie.
This collision of talent could only have happened in the studio era. After seeing this excellent picture I miss that era all the more.
They're aren't many actors who could have carried the lead the way that Clark Gable, the King of Hollywood, did. Maybe Bogart (but to have him as the owner of another gambling joint would have drawn comparisons to "Casablanca"), maybe Spencer Tracy, but Gable as the hard-as-concrete lead with a heart of gold and a strong moral compass was his specialty.
Up and down the cast we see similar custom fit parts and spot-on performances. Alexis Smith as the longtime wife (even though she was 28 when the movie released) . . . Wendell Corey as the spineless brother-in-law (even though he's usually cast as a cop) . . . Frank Morgan, Audrey Totter, Mary Astor, Lewis Stone and often overlooked actors like Marjorie Rambeau and Leon Ames, were perfect in their parts.
Combine this with great direction by Mervyn LeRoy, a great script by Richard Brooks, and subtle and compelling cinematography by Harold Rosson and you've got a great movie.
This collision of talent could only have happened in the studio era. After seeing this excellent picture I miss that era all the more.