Recently, I saw the Errol Flynn western: "Silver River", released a few years after this western. I was struck by the basic similarities in their screen plays. If you liked the present film, you might want to check out that film. Both are available, free, at YouTube.
Here, Clark Gable plays a classic con man named Jeramiah 'Candy' Johnson, who is floored when he sees the beautiful young blonde Elizabeth Cotton(Lana Turner) traveling alone on a train, all the way from Boston to the small western Nevada town of Yellow Creek(which actually exists), to visit her father: Judge Cotton(Frank Morgan, formerly The Wizard of Oz). Seems to me she should have been the one called Candy: eye candy, that is, and he should have been the one called cotton: cotton mouth, that is, for he was a snake that bit you, if he could. .......She dropped her handkerchief after he gave her 'the eye', and she back to him. But after retrieving the dainty, she treated him with disdain for some time, to see if he would be scared off. He wasn't.
MGM was trying to develop Lana as a potential replacement for the untimely deceased Jean Harlow, as their premier blonde bombshell. The 20yo had costarred in a couple of films, but this was to be her first big test. At first , Gable wasn't impressed, as she was terribly nervous saying dialogue with him, in a test. However, he was able to settle her down, and they came across as a believable pair, despite the 20 year age gap. In fact, this was MGM's highest grossing film of the year(1941).
Gable is in his supercocky mode through most of the film, with his frequent trademark smirk. Lana is suitably demure, yet defensive, for a Boston debutant(in the film). After a period of fighting off Candy's come-ons, she finally decides that this apparent bad boy is worth taking a chance on. Just before her father was about to send her back to Boston, she gets Candy drunk, then arranges a marriage ceremony. In the morning, Candy doesn't remember anything about it, but she coyly hints at what happened. Probably, he could have annulled it, given his state of mind, but he stuck with it.
Candy, along with his sidekick, played by Chill Wills, arrived at Yellow Creek with the ambition that he would gradually extend his influence until he became 'the town boss'. To accomplish, he planned on building a saloon to outdo that of the current 'town boss': Brazos(Albert Decker), who owned the only saloon in town and had appointed himself sheriff. Strangely, we never see the outside or inside of Candy's saloon! Candy needs to think up a scheme to finance his saloon. So, he traps Brazos into an apparent Russian Roulette contest. Candy supposedly is shown putting a bullet into an empty six-shooter. Then, he and Brazos take turns pointing the gun at their head while pulling the trigger. Finally, there are only 2 chambers left to test. Brazos loses his nerve and agrees to Candy's demand that he be given $5000 by Brazos to skip Brazos's turn. When Candy points the gun at his head and pulls the trigger, nothing happens. When he does the same with the last chamber, nothing happens. By slight of hand, he had avoided putting a bullet in the gun! ........ To ingratiate the populace, he gives a portion of his reward toward building a church. He discovers that Brazos merely appointed himself sheriff. He suggests an election, with himself as the chief candidate, and wins. Later, he would use tax dollars to build a school, and buy a fire engine, to mollify rumors that he was skimming tax dollars for his own use, especially toward building a mansion, to suitably impress Lana, and host lavish dinner parties, once even including the governor.
When Lana's father learns that she tricked Candy into marrying her, he is furious, having known Candy at times in the past. He makes it his business to learn as many of Candy's illegal doings as possible, and blab them in public. Candy finally puts him on a train for elsewhere, but he outsmarts Candy and doubles back, where he is promptly gunned down by one of Candy's gang. When Lana learns of this, she falls from her buggy, and is taken to her house, where it is learned that she had lost her pregnancy and was in serious medical trouble. Candy is inconsolable and threatens the doctor if he doesn't succeed in saving Lana.
Meanwhile, Candy's gang(why does he need so many?), is now barricaded in town hall, with the citizenry outside, with firearms. Candy enters town hall(why not shot by the citizenry?), and finds that Brazos, who had joined his gang, is now regarded as their leader. Brazos points a gun at Candy and does some talking. But, Candy outmaneuvers him and shoots him dead. Candy tells his gang that the state militia is on their way to help the citizenry, which causes them to flee out the back door. Candy makes his way through the citizenry(again, why isn't he shot), picks up sidekick Wills, and gets on the train for Cheyenne, without checking on Lana. Later, Wills writes to Lana, telling her where they are. Candy is very surprised when she shows up. "I know you didn't come to reform me. You're just crazy about me, the way I am" "Yes, Candyman". The End.
This was the first of 4 films pairing Gable and Lana. However, the other 3 relate to WWII, not the old West. Lana would be married 7 times, but spent her last 23 years without a spouse. This doesn't include her infamous lethal incident with boyfriend gangster Johhny Stompanato, in 1958. ........ Gable's then wife: Carole Lombard, knew he had a weakness for blondes, hence was on the lookout for any hint of an affair between Lana and Gable. There were rumors, of course, but Lana and Gable consistently denied such affairs during this or their subsequent films together. Carole died in a plane crash during the making of their second film together, the next year.
Before signing off, I should mention the periodic appearance of 2 well-known actresses I haven't mentioned. Marjorie Main served as the landlord of the house where Lana and the Judge were renting an apartment, and also as the spokesperson at the town meeting where the Judge was shot. Claire Trevor served as a saloon entertainer and old friend of Candy, who periodically socialized with Candy, and helped when Lana was badly injured.
Here, Clark Gable plays a classic con man named Jeramiah 'Candy' Johnson, who is floored when he sees the beautiful young blonde Elizabeth Cotton(Lana Turner) traveling alone on a train, all the way from Boston to the small western Nevada town of Yellow Creek(which actually exists), to visit her father: Judge Cotton(Frank Morgan, formerly The Wizard of Oz). Seems to me she should have been the one called Candy: eye candy, that is, and he should have been the one called cotton: cotton mouth, that is, for he was a snake that bit you, if he could. .......She dropped her handkerchief after he gave her 'the eye', and she back to him. But after retrieving the dainty, she treated him with disdain for some time, to see if he would be scared off. He wasn't.
MGM was trying to develop Lana as a potential replacement for the untimely deceased Jean Harlow, as their premier blonde bombshell. The 20yo had costarred in a couple of films, but this was to be her first big test. At first , Gable wasn't impressed, as she was terribly nervous saying dialogue with him, in a test. However, he was able to settle her down, and they came across as a believable pair, despite the 20 year age gap. In fact, this was MGM's highest grossing film of the year(1941).
Gable is in his supercocky mode through most of the film, with his frequent trademark smirk. Lana is suitably demure, yet defensive, for a Boston debutant(in the film). After a period of fighting off Candy's come-ons, she finally decides that this apparent bad boy is worth taking a chance on. Just before her father was about to send her back to Boston, she gets Candy drunk, then arranges a marriage ceremony. In the morning, Candy doesn't remember anything about it, but she coyly hints at what happened. Probably, he could have annulled it, given his state of mind, but he stuck with it.
Candy, along with his sidekick, played by Chill Wills, arrived at Yellow Creek with the ambition that he would gradually extend his influence until he became 'the town boss'. To accomplish, he planned on building a saloon to outdo that of the current 'town boss': Brazos(Albert Decker), who owned the only saloon in town and had appointed himself sheriff. Strangely, we never see the outside or inside of Candy's saloon! Candy needs to think up a scheme to finance his saloon. So, he traps Brazos into an apparent Russian Roulette contest. Candy supposedly is shown putting a bullet into an empty six-shooter. Then, he and Brazos take turns pointing the gun at their head while pulling the trigger. Finally, there are only 2 chambers left to test. Brazos loses his nerve and agrees to Candy's demand that he be given $5000 by Brazos to skip Brazos's turn. When Candy points the gun at his head and pulls the trigger, nothing happens. When he does the same with the last chamber, nothing happens. By slight of hand, he had avoided putting a bullet in the gun! ........ To ingratiate the populace, he gives a portion of his reward toward building a church. He discovers that Brazos merely appointed himself sheriff. He suggests an election, with himself as the chief candidate, and wins. Later, he would use tax dollars to build a school, and buy a fire engine, to mollify rumors that he was skimming tax dollars for his own use, especially toward building a mansion, to suitably impress Lana, and host lavish dinner parties, once even including the governor.
When Lana's father learns that she tricked Candy into marrying her, he is furious, having known Candy at times in the past. He makes it his business to learn as many of Candy's illegal doings as possible, and blab them in public. Candy finally puts him on a train for elsewhere, but he outsmarts Candy and doubles back, where he is promptly gunned down by one of Candy's gang. When Lana learns of this, she falls from her buggy, and is taken to her house, where it is learned that she had lost her pregnancy and was in serious medical trouble. Candy is inconsolable and threatens the doctor if he doesn't succeed in saving Lana.
Meanwhile, Candy's gang(why does he need so many?), is now barricaded in town hall, with the citizenry outside, with firearms. Candy enters town hall(why not shot by the citizenry?), and finds that Brazos, who had joined his gang, is now regarded as their leader. Brazos points a gun at Candy and does some talking. But, Candy outmaneuvers him and shoots him dead. Candy tells his gang that the state militia is on their way to help the citizenry, which causes them to flee out the back door. Candy makes his way through the citizenry(again, why isn't he shot), picks up sidekick Wills, and gets on the train for Cheyenne, without checking on Lana. Later, Wills writes to Lana, telling her where they are. Candy is very surprised when she shows up. "I know you didn't come to reform me. You're just crazy about me, the way I am" "Yes, Candyman". The End.
This was the first of 4 films pairing Gable and Lana. However, the other 3 relate to WWII, not the old West. Lana would be married 7 times, but spent her last 23 years without a spouse. This doesn't include her infamous lethal incident with boyfriend gangster Johhny Stompanato, in 1958. ........ Gable's then wife: Carole Lombard, knew he had a weakness for blondes, hence was on the lookout for any hint of an affair between Lana and Gable. There were rumors, of course, but Lana and Gable consistently denied such affairs during this or their subsequent films together. Carole died in a plane crash during the making of their second film together, the next year.
Before signing off, I should mention the periodic appearance of 2 well-known actresses I haven't mentioned. Marjorie Main served as the landlord of the house where Lana and the Judge were renting an apartment, and also as the spokesperson at the town meeting where the Judge was shot. Claire Trevor served as a saloon entertainer and old friend of Candy, who periodically socialized with Candy, and helped when Lana was badly injured.