Trouble Along the Way

This is a light hearted uplifting tale directed by the talented Michael Curtiz. John Wayne plays a divorced man trying to keep custody of his young daughter(Sherry Jackson)and at the same time regain his self- respect by coaching football at a small, money strapped Catholic college.

This sentimental yarn has an all star supporting cast that includes: Charles Coburn, Donna Reed, Leif Erickson, Dabbs Greer and Chuck Conners.

One of the unknown minor masterpieces of Curtiz, and a very fine, well modulated performance by John Wayne.Its probably the best-and the frankest-film about college football ever put on the screen.Its rich in human interest and well acted by all the principals.

Following the triumphant release and run of John Ford's THE QUIET MAN (Argosy Productions/Republic Pictures, 1952), there was a lot more types of roles available to John Wayne. It appears that to the Hollywood Hierarchy, who sort of had 'Duke' pigeon holed or typecast, if you will, John Wayne should be either a Cowboy or a Marine D.I., or something as manly. The concept of having him portraying some "reg'lar feller' or a family guy was just not possible.

But then we had THE QUIET MAN, a role that would require the main character to hit all the emotions. It was a Comedy in the classic sense, as in the Shakespearean sense. And yet it had plenty of serious and definitely moments. There are even some superbly melancholy moments that were as big a tear jerker as any.

So, anxious to have a John Wayne film, and one that would showcase this now extended emotional range 'Duke'. Warner Brothers came up with this family tear-jerker. It was the stuff that the Critics should like and the Public would love.(The operative here being 'should'!) In a nut shell, former Football Coach-turned Bookie, Steve Williams(John Wayne)has had custody of his daughter, Carol(Sherry Jackson) ever since the break-up of a loveless marriage with his 'ex',Anne Williams McCormick(Marie Windsor). Steve and Carol have a fine relationship, and he loves his daughter more than anything in the world.

Now all of a sudden, Steve's home/family situation comes under the scrutiny of the City's Child Welfare Agency. He finds himself right in the cross-hairs of one Miss Anne Singleton(Donna Reed), who has gotten the assignment to either give her imprimatur to their Domestic arrangement, or to vote to chloroform it.

At about that same time, Father William Matthew Burke(Charles Coburn), President of small St. Anthony's College is faced with a dilemma. The constraints of this modern, private Education and even m,ore so, the cost, are working to bring St. Anthony's to its end.

Never say die, Fr. Burke is constantly in prayer and actively looking for a solution. When he looks into the Holy Bible to find inspiration, he quite by chance stumbles onto a passage that advised the reader to "get fat and kick!" That was enough, the fiery old Priest heads out to find a Coach to organize a squad and establish a Football Program at St. Anthony's.

After a less than spectacular meeting, Steve reluctantly accepts the coaching job, it being a case of one hand washing the other. They move into some run down living quarters and Carol starts school at another school.

Father Burke and Carol become very close, each learning a lot fro the other. She gets use of a fine private Library(Fr. Burke's)and he learns some of the intricacies of having a successful College Football program, like Scheduling.

The complications that follow this in this story are well executed by the Director Michael Curtiz and company, even if some of them may seem to be a little old, tired and even obvious.

We do find out just why that the Williams family broke up and why after 10 or 12 years that the New York City Children's Welfare Agency is suddenly so interested in Steve's fitness as a Father with custody.

We are left with a sort of open ended conclusion, but heavily leaning toward Carol and Steve's remaining together. That would happen as long as certain things with a certain female went just right! And now, let's salute this fine supporting cast consisting of, but not limited to: Tom Tully, Marie Windsor, Tom Helmore, Dabbs Grear,Leif Ericson, Lester Matthews,Douglas Spencer, Chuck Connors, Frank Ferguson, Murray Alper and even James Dean(would you believe as an uncredited extra!) The film is warm, heart wrenching, very funny and sort of "seedy", to a small degree.

And incidentally, St. Anthony is our Catholic Patron Saint of "The Lost!"

An enjoyable little film. What was surprising was how funny John Wayne is here. I am not a big fan of his films but I wish he had more films like these out of his cop/cowboy/soldier stereotypes. Perhaps because he was a football player he was comfortable in the role of football

For a guy who was very much a part of the University of Southern California football team, John Wayne did not do too many films involving sports. In one film College Coach if you look fast you can see the Duke in a film called College Coach that starred Pat O'Brien and Dick Powell.

The usual problems of college athletics are here, problems we make for ourselves with this foolish definition of amateur and professional athlete. Trouble Along the Way also adds to the mix some of Wayne's domestic problems. He's a single parent raising a young girl in not the greatest atmosphere in the world. He's got an ex-wife, Marie Windsor who wants custody now, and a social worker, Donna Reed who has trouble keeping her personal and professional lives separate.

As in They Were Expendable, Wayne and Reed, have good chemistry. But Wayne's scenes with little Sherry Jackson are something special. They avoid the usual sentimentality, but you will react to them.

Charles Coburn plays the father/rector of small Catholic college St. Anthony's which is on it's financial uppers. He gets the idea that a standout football team as a gate attraction will bring his college out of debt. He hires Wayne, a down on his luck football coach to achieve that end. Wayne does it in the tried and true way that schools always do. It gives Coburn an ethical problem.

Films from as far back as College Coach to the fine James Caan film, The Program have dealt with these issues. Twenty years from now, other films will do the same.

But this is a nice family picture for John Wayne. He gets to go back to one of his first loves and probably the Duke was happy to be in modern dress for a change.

James Dean is supposed to be one of the students. See if you can spot him.