What jumps out for me after my first viewing is the extraordinary confidence on display in the two male stars. The women are also strong, but the story belongs to Tracy/Gable and their identical code of honor. Few US films achieve this level of natural aristocracy. If they do, it's often one character who possesses the requisite courage and honor, and it brings out the Iago-esquire in others. This is an unusual document in which love and honor rule, and the matter of winning/losing in terms of material goods is viewed with the hauteur of a view of life that has pretty much been eclipsed. As for the writing, it's not bad - the characters could have been more fully rounded, but there's enough substance to make for a credible world in which these guys make their way. Tracy and Gable brought this quality of strength to a lot of their films, but having both present, without sacrificing part of either, is quite special.
