The Spoilers (1942)

One of the racier post code movies is filled with insinuations, innuendos, sly winks at the audience and a bit of racist humor thanks to the presence of a seemingly wise servant who has the wit of a Gracie Allen character. It's set way up in Nome Alaska where fights over rights to gold mines are an every day occurrence. When the law tries to step in, they are greeted with gun violence and total opposition. Marlene Dietrich once again is a bar hostess as Cherry, more dressed up with high hair and fashions. John Wayne and Randolph Scott are the two men vying for her attention, and it's clear that she knows more than meets the mine.The Rex Beach adventure novel already had an earlier version, and there would be even one more made just over a decade later. But because of the cast, this is probably the most well known version, adequately entertaining if a bit over the top. The emphasis in the script is based on sardonic humor, with much of it provided by Mariette Canty as Dietrich's dingbat black maid. Harry Carey, George Cleveland and Richard Barthelmess stand out in the supporting cast, with Margaret Lindsay a stark contrast to Dietrich. Great photography and atmosphere make this stand out. Dietrich and Wayne have decent chemistry while Scott makes an outstanding villain.There's some issue with the character played by Canty, sassy but basically stupid, and a plot twist where Wayne disguises himself with blackface and enters Dietrich's bedroom, much to Canty's delight. Earlier she had made a comment about tired of pretending that the darker Eskimos were from the south, and here, she reacts to blackface as is if were an every day occurrence. It's ironic that over a decade later, she would play a much more dignified character that brought her some attention, the role of the loving housekeeper in "Rebel Without a Cause" that was the only source of love Sal Mineo's character had known. Here, she's told by Dietrich to sit on eggs and reacts as if she believed Dietrich was serious. The laughs are there, but come out uncomfortably. A great fight sequence ends the film, that is after you get a chance to see Wayne hiding inside one of Dietrich's feathery costumes.

This is one of the few films where you see that Randolph Scott can act. The reason being is that he is an antagonist against John Wayne who wins the affections of Marlene Dietrich. Scott is better as an antagonist when he is playing against a good protagonist. Wayne works well with Dietrich because both of them are just class. They worked well together in 'Seven Sinners' previously, but Wayne didn't have a strong enough antagonist to play against. Here Scott steps up to the mark. To demonstrate that Scott makes a better antagonist than protagonist watch 'Pittsburgh' where the roles are reversed. Wayne is the antagonist in that film, and despite how despicable his character is, he still brings class to that role. Whereas Scott is the protagonist is bland.The performances in this film is far superior to the plot. There are times when the film plods along and drags its feet, but the tension between Wayne and Scott maintains your attention. Scott has a chiselled face with lines engraved in stone which means he looks better as an antagonist than a protagonist. There is a scene where Wayne looks at Scott and says to him: 'any objections?' The way he delivers that makes it quite clear that he is issuing a challenge to Scott. However, when Jeff Chandler said it to Rory Colhoun in the 1955 remake it was just a dead line. It shows that it's not the writing that makes this film but the performances, and both Wayne and Scott stand out in this film as delivering good performances.The fight scene at the end is the best fight scene ever delivered in a Wayne film.

This Great Alaskan Western is absolutely fabulous. The dialog alone is worth seeing (yes, seeing) and hearing. The innuendo and double entendre are written beautifully and delivered with crackle. John Wayne is a rather rakish ladies' man and played with much less bravado than typified his later roles. That is wonderful and fun to watch. Yeah, Dietrich played a very similar character in Destry Rides Again, but here she is more sympathetic, and has killer dialog and wardrobe. Seeing Randolph Scott as a charismatic bad guy is also worth the price of admission. Old silent star, Richard Barthelmess, delivers a nice performance, too, in his supporting role as Dietrich's spurned but loyal suitor and employee. His secretive character, Bronco, really is key. In more run-of-the-mill movies, spurned suitors always side with the bad guys in the mistaken belief that The Hero is their obstacle to happiness. (How predictable is that gambit?) With Bronco you always have that scenario in the back of your mind.The best scenes all revolve around Dietrich, whether she is being sweet talked by Wayne or Scott. They are both charming, which also is rather unique. Usually the bad guy competitor for the affections of the leading lady in a Western is pretty transparently, well, bad. But Scott manages to make us believe that the law-biding front he maintains for the public is credible - at least to some, but not good ol' Marlene!I always enjoy seeing Harry Carey in a movie, and this role is particularly neat, since he was one of Wayne's idols. In fact, Randy's cronies are terrific, too. If you are a fan of Westerns, this one is excellent.

The John Wayne Marathon continues into the 14th hour with a whole boatload of interesting characters in a story about the gold rush in Alaska.Wayne gets third billing in this movie to Marlene Dietrich and Randolph Scott. Dietrich plays a jealous girlfriend and Scott is the new dude in town that is muscling in.Margaret Lindsay plays the new girl in town after Wayne's heart. Harry Carey is Wayne's partner.This is at least the 4th version of this story and it won't be the last. A tale of gold mining, claim jumping, saloon, muddy streets, brawls and fancy women will always be in style.Hang on to your hat and enjoy another Wayne classic.