La Rivière d'argent

A more mature western from a Stephen Longstreet novel traces the career of a rather corrupt adventurer (Flynn) who stops at nothing to assure himself of wealth in a rough and tough gambling town. He chases an attractive woman (Ann Sheridan) who becomes a widow fast when her husband is allowed to stray into Indian territory while they're on the warpath. He makes all sorts of deals to increase his wealth, betrays others right and left and refuses to heed the warnings of his drunken pal (Thomas Mitchell).

He only reforms at the last minute, in time for a happy ending. Much of the story stretches credibility a bit, especially when his drunken pal goes on to run for senator.

The Flynn-Sheridan combo makes the tale bearable but it's a little too long for comfort. Technicolor would have bolstered the handsome production values and given the film the A-production look it strives for. Evidently, Warners was afraid to give Errol the benefit of technicolor for this particular western.

Flynn gives an uneven performance--in some scenes subtle and convincing, in others seeming not to care. He's still handsome here but beginning to show signs of hard living. Ann Sheridan is her usual feisty self but their strained relationship at the start is a sure fire sign that they will soon be paired romantically.

No more than a conventional western yarn with some serious overtones, but it could have been so much better.