It's big, loud, blowsy, breezy, glib, heartening and heartrending, larger than life, colorful, fulsome, winsome, .... all the schmaltz and schlock and superficial sentimentality that Hollywood loves to throw at you.
James Stewart plays James Stewart. He's corrupt, heartless, cynical, cold; he drinks, he smokes, he offers to buy and sell people .... but, wait, we know, don't we, that he's the guy who opened the doors to the bank ... It's an act, isn't it? James won't let us, and America, down.
Widmark, sadly underrated throughout his career, does an amazing job but he's the only bright spot. Ford's stock actors play the stock characters they always play. Ken Curtis plays that there hillbilly rebel guy who aw-shuckses and darns-its you to death.
John Ford became the Norman Rockwell of movies after doing some harder stuff. Real shame. This should probably be rated a 2-3 given Ford's reputation.
James Stewart plays James Stewart. He's corrupt, heartless, cynical, cold; he drinks, he smokes, he offers to buy and sell people .... but, wait, we know, don't we, that he's the guy who opened the doors to the bank ... It's an act, isn't it? James won't let us, and America, down.
Widmark, sadly underrated throughout his career, does an amazing job but he's the only bright spot. Ford's stock actors play the stock characters they always play. Ken Curtis plays that there hillbilly rebel guy who aw-shuckses and darns-its you to death.
John Ford became the Norman Rockwell of movies after doing some harder stuff. Real shame. This should probably be rated a 2-3 given Ford's reputation.