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| Gentleman Jim - 1942 |
Coming up next is 1942's "Gentleman Jim", starring Errol Flynn and Alexis Smith. A banker in 1890s San Francisco becomes a boxer of a new caliber, a gentleman. Jim Corbett must learn to navigate this new world and bring the banned sport of boxing to the center of the world stage.
The film's supporting cast includes Jack Carson, Alan Hale, John Loder, William Frawley, Minor Watson, and Ward Bond.
The film opens on an undercover fight in San Francisco. Banker Jim Corbett (Flynn) and his friend Walter (Carson) attend and stand next to a member of the board of the bank where they work. As they watch the fight, the place gets raided by the police. After they're arrested, Corbett does some fast talking to get the three of them released without penalty. The bank board member, who happens to be a judge, wants a new caliber of fight: a gentleman instead of a roughneck. Corbett is very interested in what he has to say.
When socialite Victoria Ware (Smith) comes to their bank, he does her a favor by escorting her (and a large sum of money) to the Olympic Club. She shows him around the place, and he is very impressed.
When she takes him to the gymnasium, he watches a pair of boxers with great interest. One of these men happens to be the man who trained the Prince of Wales. The other happens to be the judge whom he helped out of a tight spot.
When the trainer asks him to spar with him, he dumps all of his belonging on Victoria, who is a little perturbed.
Corbett does extremely well, and he impresses the trainer. He gains admittance to the club on the strength of Victoria and her father's recommendation. He makes a general nuisance of himself: having himself paged at every opportunity and playing harmless practical jokes on other members. They conspire to teach him a lesson.
A British heavyweight champion is in town and they ask him to help bring Corbett down a peg. He readily agrees, and a special exhibition and dance is arranged.
At the appointed time, the contenders come together for the special exhibition. The gym of the Olympic Club is packed full.
A little put off by Jim's ego, Victoria is secretly hoping that he'll lose. In fact, her father has bet heavily against him.
During the match, Jim displays particular prowess in the area of fancy footwork, and he dances around his opponent with ease. In no time at all, he's knocked him out.
At the dance afterwards, Victoria kids him about his ego and what a huge head he'll probably get as a result of his victory.
When he follows her outside, Jim kisses her, to which Victoria takes great offence. She can't believe his audacity and hurries away from him after the two verbally spar on the terrace.
After a night of heavy celebrating, Jim and his pal Walter wake up in an unfamiliar place. They discover they're in a hotel, flat broke, and also in Salt Lake City, Utah.
It's also revealed that Jim got himself a manager the night before in a bar. In fact, the manager has already got him a fight. Just when it looks like Jim is going to lose, he makes a surprise comeback and knocks out his opponent. He decides he wants to take up boxing professionally.
Back in San Francisco, Jim has dreams of fighting legendary boxer John L. Sullivan. He also meets up with Victoria Ware again. Although initially glad to see each other, the meeting quickly deteriorates as the two can't quite seem to see eye to eye on anything.
Another boxing match is set up with a serious contender. The place is packed. When the police try to intervene, the crowd pick them up and throw them in the water.
Of course, Victoria is in the crowd, heavily betting against Jim and hoping that he'll be taught a lesson.
Once again, Jim knocks out his opponent, and the crowd erupts with excitement.
Jim even finds time to act in a stage play about himself. Victoria, of course, is in the crowd, hoping for a flop and wondering how on earth he could even be part of something like this.
John L. Sullivan also does a play based on himself as well. When Jim goes to see it, he also goes backstage to meet Sullivan. Sullivan doesn't want to fight Jim, but Jim needles him to the point where he's practically begging for a fight. The only thing is: he insists on a $10,000 side bet to ensure that Jim will show up. But Jim doesn't have the money.
After a bit of a separation, Victoria and Jim meet once again. But, as ever, their conversation turns hostile as they start to trade barbs at each other. He invites her to go out to a new play that evening, but she refuses to go with him, claiming another invitation.
When Victoria's father notices them, he tells them they're picking up their conversation right where they left off. When Jim leaves, Victoria's father mentions to her that Jim needs $10,000, for the Sullivan fight. If he doesn't get it, the fight will be canceled.
Secretly, Victoria meets with Jim's manager and, on condition that he doesn't say where he got it, she loans him the money.
At the play that evening, all eyes turn to the box where Jim is sitting. He's got quite the famous guest with him: actress Anna Held. As she observes them, Victoria inexplicably finds herself a little bit jealous of Anna, and angry when her father tells her that it's rumored that Anna put up the money for Jim's fight. Victoria knows it was herself and not Anna, but she is still a bit jealous.
The day of the Corbett-Sullivan fight comes. Jim successfully outwits Sullivan into getting into the ring first. Sullivan didn't want to go first, being superstitious. Just to rattle him, Jim tricks him into it.
At the sound of the bell, both fighters come out swinging with Sullivan going at Corbett furiously. Jim, however, manages to evade most of the blows with his quick footwork.
Victoria's in the audience, booing Jim, and hoping against hope that he'll lose, and that his ego will be brought down.
The fight stretches on for 21 rounds. Both fighters are tired, but Jim starts to gain the upper hand.
He knocks Sullivan out and is proclaimed Heavyweight Champion of the World.
At the hotel celebration later that night, Jim has to go out onto the balcony to acknowledge a very enthusiastic crowd.
And inside, Victoria presents him with a present: a huge hat to accompany the big head he's bound to get from his victory.
The party goes silent when the unexpected happens. John L. Sullivan, himself, enters and walks up to Jim.
He tells Jim he's got something he wanted to present himself. It's the championship belt that was first presented to him. Jim is very touched by the gift and the two men part in warm friendship. (In my opinion, this is probably the best scene in the film.)
Victoria watches as Jim graciously accepts the award and watches how he treats Sullivan with dignity. As she watches, she begins to have a change of heart towards Jim.
When she follows him into the garden later, the two have one final spat before admitting their feelings for each other and embracing.
Cast rundown:
Errol Flynn................................Jim Corbett
Alexis Smith..............................Victoria Ware
Jack Carson...............................Walter Lowrie
Alan Hale...................................Pat Corbett
John Loder.................................Carlton De Witt
William Frawley..........................Billy Delaney
Minor Watson.............................Buck Ware
Ward Bond.................................John L. Sullivan
And that's all for Gentleman Jim. Errol Flynn did all of his own boxing stuntwork in this film. He actually suffered a heart attack during the filming, which caused production to shut down for a while. He came back and finished the film without ever using a stunt double.
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| Cheyenne - 1947 |
Next on our list of films is 1947's "Cheyenne", starring Dennis Morgan and Jane Wyman. A gambler in trouble with the law cuts a deal with authorities to track down and bring in a stagecoach robber. Only trouble is, he's very close to the robber's wife, though he doesn't know it.
The film's supporting cast includes Janis Paige, Bruce Bennett, Alan Hale, and Arthur Kennedy.
We begin our story in Wyoming Territory in the 1860s. A stagecoach thief named "The Poet" has been robbing them blind, leaving only a note in the strongbox with a poem on it. James Wylie (Morgan) is in trouble with the law. The authorities tell him that if he'll help them catch The Poet, then they'll forget all about him. They don't give him many leads, except that they know The Poet is forming a gang in Cheyenne. They don't give Wylie much of an option. Either he helps them or goes to jail.
Wylie agrees to help them. When he hears one of the poems written by The Poet, Wylie jokes, "That poem alone is enough to hang the fella."
The next morning Wylie finds a bathtub has been set up in the washroom. He eagerly gets in it, unaware that the tub belongs to Ann Kincaid (Wyman). She orders him out of the tub and throws his clothes over the screen.
As she leaves, she tips the screen over and it comes crashing down on Wylie's head.
Downstairs at breakfast, Wylie meets Emily Carson, whom he mistakes for the lady he upset in the bathroom.
He later comes to realize his mistake when one of the hotel employees gives Ann back her tub.
They all ride together on the same stagecoach to Cheyenne. Jim and Emily strike up an animated conversation, while Ann remains aloof and cold in her answers to any questions.
Trying to be friendly, Emily offers Ann some of her perfume "Lily of the Valley". Not caring for the scent, Ann declines.
On their way to Cheyenne, the stage is robbed by a guy named Sundance and his gang. Wylie notices a particular tattoo on one of the robbers. When the strongbox is opened, it's revealed that a note from The Poet is inside. Sundance and his gang leave quite upset.
Once at Cheyenne, Emily takes a job at the saloon as a singer. She's in Cheyenne to meet a gentleman friend, but she won't say who. She's a hit with the paying customers, though.
Wylie notices the tattoo from the holdup on a guy and follows him to Sundance's hideout. When Sundance confronts him, Wylie tells him he's The Poet. Sundance says he's not sure, but there is one person who will be able to tell him the truth. He asks for someone to come out and join them: The Poet's wife.
To Wylie's surprise, Ann steps out. Ann smiles at Wylie and says he's her husband. Satisfied after watching Ann and Wylie kiss, Sundance lets the two of them slip away, but only after making "The Poet" promise to cut them in on his next job.
For appearance sake, Wylie and Ann must now live together. Ann is still as cold as ever, but Wylie makes the best of it. Sundance has put a couple of men on their tail to make sure they are who they say they are. Ann tells Wylie that she's tired of the way her husband has treated her, and she wants to help Wylie put him behind bars.
The next morning, Emily meets up with Wylie at breakfast. She's sporting a new necklace and ring, presents from her gentleman friend.
Meanwhile, Ann goes to meet her husband, Ed, the real poet. He's also the inspector for all the Wells Fargo strongboxes. He tells her he's done with being "The Poet", and in a few days they'll be on their way to San Francisco. Ann wants to believe him, but isn't sure if she can take him at his word.
Ann tells Wylie that The Poet wants them to meet at a place called South Forks. Wylie isn't sure whether or not to believe that Ann really wants to bring The Poet in.
When they arrive at South Forks, they find that it's abandoned and run-down with nobody in sight.
Inside the abandoned building, Sundance and his gang are waiting. They still think that Wylie is "The Poet" and want to help him on his next job. Wylie manages to convince them that he and Ann are on a honeymoon, and that they should sleep in the next room for the night. They reluctantly agree.
Wylie accuses Ann of leading him into a trap. She manages to placate his fears.
Early the next morning, Sundance and his gang holdup a stagecoach, eager to get their hands on the strongbox. Two of the gang are killed while trying to overtake the coach.
When they open the strongbox, all they find is a poem from The Poet. Furious at Wylie for not cutting them in on a $10,000 job, they head back to South Forks to confront him and have it out once and for all.
A gunfight ensues. Wylie has to quickly ensure his and Ann's safety. He successfully kills Sundance and the rest of his gang.
Still unsure of Ann's role in everything, he takes one of Sundance's horses and leaves Ann at South Forks. He wants to work things out with some distance between them.
Wylie goes to the Wells Fargo office and meets Ed, who is very surprised to learn that a stagecoach has been robbed and that Sundance and his gang are dead. He begins to be very suspicious of Wylie.
When Ann finally gets back to town, she goes to Ed's office. She smells a familiar perfume, Lily of the Valley. Suspecting that Ed is having an affair, she starts to hurl insults at the owner of the perfume, knowing it will flush her out. As expected, Emily comes out of a closet raging.
Wylie and Ann meet up again. She says she can't trust her husband at all now, and wants to go through with the deal to help Wylie catch him. Wylie still doesn't trust her, and says no thanks.
Wylie explains his theories to a local sheriff. He tells the sheriff to not let anyone rent a horse or buggy so they can't get out of town. When he goes to the stable, he finds the stable hand exasperated because of a colt that's making a lot of noise. He says he sold the mother to a lady. The stable hand says it's one of the ladies that Wylie came to Cheyenne with. Hatching a plan, he buys the colt for ten dollars.
Ed tries to turn the tables on Wylie, convincing the sheriff that Wylie is actually "The Poet". The sheriff gets a posse together to help stop Wylie.
Wylie lets the colt find its mother, which will allow him to find out who bought the horse and is trying to get out of town.
He takes up a position in the doorway of the saloon so he can keep his eyes on the goings-on in both places.
The sheriff catches up with Wylie, but he escapes. Meanwhile, Emily is on the stagecoach after saying goodbye to Ed. He's got some last minute business that needs tending to, and will join her the next day. When the sheriff tries to arrest Wylie, it's the diversion Ed needs to get away on the horse.
Also leaving town is Ann, who is fed up with Ed and the whole situation. When Wylie finds out the identity of Emily's gentleman friend, he puts two and two together and realizes that Ed is The Poet. He joins the girls in the stage, putting them right back where they started at the beginning of the film. As they travel, the sheriff and his posse stop the stage to arrest Wylie, but he escapes on one of their horses, riding into the night.
Ed let Emily go alone because he wants to rob the stage of the ten thousand dollars it's carrying in the strongbox. He manages to stop it.
Wylie arrives just in the nick of time. Ed is about to shoot the driver when Wylie rides up. He makes Ed go back to the stagecoach.
Of course another gunfight is expected. Ann takes sides with Wylie, as Ed tries to hold Emily hostage. With some fast thinking, Wylie manages to wound Ed in the gun battle.
As luck would have it, the authorities are driving by in a passing stagecoach. They take Ed off Wylie's hands and tell him if he can track down the money Ed stole $20,000 of it is his. Ann saw Ed throw it on the stage back in Cheyenne, so she now possesses all of it. Ann and Wylie finally get together as the stage drives on.
Cast rundown:
Dennis Morgan...........................James Wylie
Jane Wyman..............................Ann Kincaid
Janis Paige.................................Emily Carson
Bruce Bennett............................Ed Landers
Alan Hale...................................Fred Durkin
Arthur Kennedy..........................Sundance
And that's wrap on Cheyenne. It's a very entertaining western. Janis Paige does some good musical work, and Jane Wyman is a joy to watch. This film was re-released as "The Wyoming Kid" during its television syndication so that it wouldn't confuse people who were interested in a TV series called Cheyenne.
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