Destry Rides Again, Grade B+

Director George Marshall

Awards: Not that I know of--but it could be said it is deserving of some

Cast: Marlene Dietrich; James Stewart; Mischa Auer; Charles Winninger; Brian Donleay; Allen Jenkins; Warren Hymer; Irene Hervey; Una Merkel; Billy Gilbert; Samuel S Hinds; Jack Carson; Tom Fadden; Virginai Brissac; Edmund MacDonald

Jimmy Stewart stars as Tom Destry, a tough lawman who believe in 'THE LAW' and who doesn't like guns.  His arrival in the town of BOTTLENECK could pose a problem when a saloon owner (Brian Donleay) and a corrupt mayor plan to rob the local cowpokes blind, with the help of crooked waitress "Frenchy" (Marlene Dietrich). 

sez says: this is a wildly entertaining movie, it takes unexpected twist and turns--esp when it comes to the role of women in this community.  There is a scene like no other I have ever seen in an American  western of this era--in which two women get in a knock-down drag-em-out fight in a bar room and it is not little tiff.  It is a full scale bar fight. Wild! ANd in the end, when the men begin shooting it out, the women march in, with brooms and sticks and rakes and put an end to the shooting (men won't shoot at women, evidently) and become the deciding force in the battle.

That "Destry" wants to uphold the law without guns is a progressive concept--but it falls apart when at last shooting is required.  So much for high-minded ideas.

The acting is fun too. I'm not big fan of Dietrich style:  but I can appreciate her role in film and find her fascinating to watch (plus she has a couple really snazzy costumes in this film!) Jimmy Stewart is fun and a perfect casting for Tom Destry.

Really enjoyable all round and recommended

Letter of Introduction, 1938 ( Grade D)

Director John Stah;

Awards? None I know of

Cast: Adolphe Menjou, Andrea Leeds, George Murphy, Edgar Bergen, Rita Johnson, Ann Sheridan, Ernest Cossart, Frank Jenks, Eve Arden, Mark Daniels

plot summary: the bastard daughter of famous actor shows up in NY wanting to act...Dad doesn't know of her existence but she has a letter from her mom introducing her to her dad.  Dad is glad to meet her--sort-of--but can't bare to tell the world he is a father of a young woman who is the same age as the woman he is about to marry (his 4th wife).  If people knew his real age it might hurt his career.
So dad/daughter keep their true connection a secret--resulting in lots of rumors about them and --and of course their respective  fiancees misread the relationship and abandon them.  
Eventually dad plans to tell the world he has a wonderful daughter--at an important event-- but he gets drunk and blows it.  He then gets hit by a car and before he can tell the reporters the truth he dies.  The faithful daughter won't tell after he is dead because she doesn't want to sully his name.  there is not a woman in the story who does not live entirely for Her Man


sez says: This movie is as bad as the plot sounds.  I've certainly seen worse movies--but not a whole lot of them.  This is of a TYPE of story that was common in the 1930's-- that is, a story in which a single secret (ie we are father and daughter) is not shared publicly--and it is the central element in the plot that makes the story go.   If the fact that they were father/daughter had been known none of the problems in the story would exist...I really mean NONE at all. These are very hard to watch today becasue the keeping of the 'secret' seems absurd. 


mjc: I just wanted HER to spit it out: "I am his daughter, not his latest".