I've hesitated reviewing this film which I have the barest recollection of seeing as
a kid during the 60s on television. There seems to be a print in existence, but
whether it will be restored or whether we'll never get to see this third version of
The Spoilers God only knows.
Certainly Gary Cooper was every inch the hero John Wayne and Jeff Chandler were in later adaptions. If you've seen the other two sound versions of The Spoilers they follow the plot Rex Beach had in his original novel. Certainly Marlene Dietrich as saloon entertainer Cherry Malotte brought far more of her welcome self than Betty Compson does here.
But there is one big variation. Instead of the judge's niece being an innocent party Kay Johnson is in on the scheme to bilk Gary Cooper out of his gold claim and the profits therein. Her 'innocence' is not existence, to some degree she's a bigger seductress than Cherry Malotte. This is what I remember best from the Gary Cooper version.
The climax of course is the fight between Cooper and crooked William Boyd, not the Hopalong Cassidy William Boyd, but William 'Stage" Boyd so billed as to distinguish him from the other William Boyd. The two really tear into each other for about 15 minutes. This one set the standard for screen fisticuffs.
I'd really like to see this version of The Spoilers to see if my memory of it is correct.
Certainly Gary Cooper was every inch the hero John Wayne and Jeff Chandler were in later adaptions. If you've seen the other two sound versions of The Spoilers they follow the plot Rex Beach had in his original novel. Certainly Marlene Dietrich as saloon entertainer Cherry Malotte brought far more of her welcome self than Betty Compson does here.
But there is one big variation. Instead of the judge's niece being an innocent party Kay Johnson is in on the scheme to bilk Gary Cooper out of his gold claim and the profits therein. Her 'innocence' is not existence, to some degree she's a bigger seductress than Cherry Malotte. This is what I remember best from the Gary Cooper version.
The climax of course is the fight between Cooper and crooked William Boyd, not the Hopalong Cassidy William Boyd, but William 'Stage" Boyd so billed as to distinguish him from the other William Boyd. The two really tear into each other for about 15 minutes. This one set the standard for screen fisticuffs.
I'd really like to see this version of The Spoilers to see if my memory of it is correct.
