Il grande nemico

Marvelous singer Nelson Eddy surprised me with his athletic performance as a Zorro-like character, just back from college, rather than Spain, who poses as an effete ally of the bad guy.

He still got several chances to sing, and what a great voice!

But his knock-down fisticuffs battle with the chief villain's chief deputy, played so well by Victor McLaglen, shows a ruggedness perhaps even his most dedicated fan didn't know was there.

The story is a Ben Hecht paean to the value of newspapers -- unfortunately not true any more -- and a Ben Hecht denunciation of business and business men, always such a funny script idea from a rich writer.

An excellent cast, from the stars to the withs to the atmosphere players, makes this enjoyable.

Let Freedom Ring is a pleasant way to kick back and relax for part of an afternoon. It isn't without its corniness and the story is thin and jumbled, even with these there isn't really anything that is terribly wrong about Let Freedom Ring. It is beautifully shot with an evocatively rendered setting, there's definitely a western aura about it. The music is catchy with clever lyrics, When Irish Eyes are Smiling comes off best, while the dialogue is mostly witty, heartfelt and thoughtful with the odd corny moment. The western and patriotic parts are rousing and don't preach at all, and the more romantic parts are full of charm. The message is a good one and it is one that still resonates. The direction is efficient and done with professionalism. The performances are great, Lionel Barrymore, Edward Arnold(on menacing villain duty) and especially Victor McLaglen fare the best in support, while Virginia Bruce is a smart and alluring female lead, also exuding a great deal of charm. Nelson Eddy is in glorious voice, not a surprise as his voice is a contender for the most beautiful baritone voice on film(between him and Howard Keel), and it is here where he gives one of his better acting performances, he can be wooden but here he looks very comfortable and his performance is very solid. In conclusion, a really nice film. 8/10 Bethany Cox

LET FREEDOM RING is a well intentioned musical comedy about the post-Civil War age of the robber barons. So, who should play a smiling, unscrupulous business tycoon but that most realistic one Edward Arnold - in the year that he also played Boss Jim Taylor in MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (and shortly before his fascist minded tycoon in Capra's MEET JOHN DOE). Only his attempt to dominate a small western town that is in the way of his planned railroad somehow comes to the attention of the U.S. Government, who send Nelson Eddy as a special agent to unite the townspeople to confront and defeat the nefarious Arnold. This should tip one off as to this being a Hollywood fantasy. The government in Washington in the 1870s would not only have not bothered sending any agent out to do this, but it would have sent word to Arnold (with palm outstretched) that it was there to assist him in his land grabbing activities. If you doubt me, read Allan Nevins' biography of Stuyvesant Fish, President Grant's Secretary of State - the most honest man in his government. Nevins chronicles the series of scandals that tarnished Grant's two terms, several dealing with railroads.

It is a disparate group that Eddy has to bring together. Besides his love interest (Virginia Bruce) there is the Mayor (Guy Kibbee), the local newspaper editor (Raymond Walburn), the railroad's leading bully boy (a misguided one, as it turns out) Victor MacLaghlan, and such strong, firm citizens as Charles Butterworth. Yet, at the end of this cute little film Eddy manages to get the townspeople united against Arnold and his moneyed army. They sing their defiance in Edward's face. Watch the conclusions of this bizaare movie closely. Arnold is not defeated at the end...he justs realizes he has miscalculated in that he picked a route that goes through a town full of lunatics. He shakes his head in bewilderment, picks himself up (probably realizing that the route through some more promising town is better), and leaves. Knowing how smart Edward was, he probably did build his railroad through a better route after all!

It's Nelson Eddy again, but this time without Jeanette - in an unusual Western musical! "Let Freedom Ring" (1939) is finally available on DVD. It is a patriotic action picture based on the 19th century struggle of farmers against the railroads. History with distant echoes where I grew up in the Midwest, from stories I heard and reflected by novelists such as Frank Norris with "The Octopus" and "the Pit". First was land grabbing by nefarious means as dramatized in the film. Later, of course, came the gaming of freight rates to rob the farmers even further, into the 20th century. See Nelson Eddy lead the charge against Edward Arnold, notorious villain from Wall Street, and his hired thug Victor McLaglen, who exploit the immigrant railroad workers and homestead farmers alike! "Wall Street" is mentioned pejoratively three times; this would never happen in today's ideologically sanitized Hollywood. Otherwise, a wholesome Ben Hecht script with Arson! Fistfights! Gunfire! Noble Nelson in fine voice with codger Lionel Barrymore, comic Charles Butterworth, and comely Virginia Bruce. Plus many others in a star spangled film.

LET FREEDOM RING is at its best whenever NELSON EDDY is permitted to sing forth in his strong baritone voice with a number of pleasant songs and this he does frequently. Sometimes it's at the request of VICTOR McLAGLEN who does a funny turn as the simple-minded villain of the piece who takes time out from fisticuffs to do an Irish jig when it pleases him. One of the nicest scenes has Eddy honoring McLaglen's request to sing "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling". In Eddy's hands, the song never sounded so good.

The plot has something to do with railroads vs. cattlemen and some skullduggery on the part of Nelson who rallies support from the townspeople to literally "let freedom ring" by opposing the mob boss (Edward Arnold) and demanding their own right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Yes, it's got that flag-waving flavor throughout, no doubt because the world was on the brink of entering into World War II which was all about fighting for freedom.

As a story, it's somewhat jumbled in the telling, relying solely on the strength of Nelson Eddy to deliver a solid central performance--and he does. He's obviously having a good time, even without Jeanette.

Not too much can be said for Virginia Bruce, his demure blonde leading lady, who lifts her voice in song only once. She is demure and sweet, even when she's supposed to be feisty, and that about sums up her performance.

Not the kind of film that most of Eddy's fans would clamor to see, but it passes the time pleasantly enough.