Silver River (1948)

hyped garbage

Good movie but grossly overrated

Fresh and Exciting

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Although the first 10 minutes of "Silver River" seem like a typical Errol Flynn western, the story soon takes a turn into more tangled territory.Mike McComb (Errol Flynn), has shades of darkness that are almost Shakespearean or more appropriately, biblical – part of the plot is based on the story of David and Bathsheba from the Book of Samuel.Directed by Raoul Walsh, "Silver River" starts as Mike McComb is cashiered from the army during the Civil War. Embittered, he becomes a gambler bent on only looking out for himself. He heads west to Silver River in Nevada to open a saloon and gambling hall. Along the way he falls for Georgia Moore (Ann Sheridan) the wife of Stanley Moore (Bruce Bennett), a silver mine owner.McComb becomes the wealthiest and most influential man in town. But things unravel when it seems he will stop at nothing to get Georgia Moore. Eventually he seeks redemption when the town turns against him.Apparently Flynn didn't want to make another western although he appreciated that the script for this one had more depth than usual. In Marilyn Ann Moss' biography of Raoul Walsh, she quotes Flynn as saying, "As a Western I think it is damned good. I wish it would have been given me for one of the five other Westerns they had me do … but I'm not going to be the Gene Autry of the future". However his contract forced him to make it. The film looks lavish with a powerful score by Max Steiner who didn't believe in music you don't notice. It also had a great cast including Ann Sheridan and Thomas Mitchell.Flynn and Sheridan were good together and she looks fabulous in the film. Apparently both liked a drink and managed to smuggle alcohol onto the set. The author of the original story and scriptwriter, Stephen Longstreet recalled, "It soon became clear that they were, even if we didn't see how. Later, I went over and tasted the ice water. It was pure 90-proof vodka." It doesn't really show except in a few of Flynn's early scenes where he appears particularly laid-back and mellow.The stories that surround the stars and filmmakers are often more interesting than the films they made, but "Silver River has surprising layers. This was Errol Flynn and Ann Sheridan's last film together; sad when you know they both died relatively young; he at 50, she at 51.

Errol Flynn is kicked out of the Union Army at the end of the Civil War for disobeying orders, albeit for good reasons. Now embittered, he travels to Silver City, Nevada, where he becomes a successful businessman through ruthless tactics. He also has an eye for married Ann Sheridan. Eventually Flynn's ruthlessness catches up with him.So-so western with a decent cast and director. Flynn's amoral character makes for interesting viewing, though the cop-out ending is absolutely terrible and undermines the rest of the film. Nice support from Thomas Mitchell, Tom D'Andrea, and Barton MacLane. The part with Ulysses S. Grant is amusing, particularly his short height, which is surprisingly historically accurate. The last of seven films Flynn made with director Raoul Walsh. Flynn's alcoholism and poor behavior while filming ticked Walsh off so much he refused to work with him again.

This movie is a bit of a downer. The plot is hardly upbeat. It is a pessimistic story. Pessimistic stories can be engrossing-look at "The Treasure of Sierra Madre" for example-but, here, not all that much interesting happens. The performers do their usual shtick.. Sheridan, Bennett, and Mitchell are exactly the people you expect them to be, based on countless other movies. No great disadvantage, but no real advantage either.Flynn is the main problem, but the problem is not with his looks. He appears older but still fit and handsome. He reads his lines and does his character well enough; his character is bitter and angry and cynical. But something very important is missing. The character is in no way likable. He is without humor, and, except for anger, without any juice, without any elan, without any positive emotion. We don't sympathize with him. We don't care if he repents.Flynn looks unattractive because he plays an unattractive character. The movie has only a modicum of entertainment value primarily for this same reason.

In his last film with director Walsh (after many successes), Flynn plays a darker character than was usually his style. During the last gasps of the Civil War, Flynn (A Union soldier) is guarding a payroll wagon and is attacked by Confederate troops. After attempting to outrun them, he decides to destroy the money rather than surrender it. This act of strategy on his part is perceived as treason by the US military and he's dishonorably discharged. Embittered, he sets off on a life of selfishness and conquest, grabbing everything he can get at almost any cost. He starts with gambling, then moves into silver mining and banking, with his war buddy D'Andrea along for the ride. He also befriends a grizzly drunken lawyer (Mitchell) who eventually gets his act together (perhaps a bit too well!) Like King David of The Bible (a point directly addressed in the film), he covets married woman Sheridan whose mild-mannered husband Bennett is rather easily disposed of. Flynn winds up having it all, but once he's at the top, there's only one way to go and that's down. Flynn was, at this stage, beginning to show signs of wear in his looks and his dedication to his craft. He's still good and still handsome, but nowhere near the heights he had previously enjoyed. His character here is more downbeat than audiences may be used to and though he's still roguish (which is when Flynn is at his best), he's less easy to root for than he was when portraying more traditionally heroic men. In some ways (such as near the end of the film) his weariness actually helps the characterization, but his usual sparkle is missed. The actor was experiencing a lot of pressure at the time from the studio and the director to avoid his usual late-night partying and he heavily resented it. Sheridan is solid. Her remarkably deep voice aids her in displaying a woman who is just as at home in either a frilly ball gown or a shirt and dungarees. Her strong persona allows her to emerge from under some of the largest and most ornate hair to be seen in a 1940's western. This is a lady who will politely pour punch and dance, but isn't above thrashing an interloper with a buggy whip if he's in her path! Mitchell gives another showy (some might say hammy), but dedicated performance. Bennett (a former Tarzan) is just right for his role as a kind, but meek, miner who is just too nice to be able to hold on to his possessions. D'Andrea is basically a footman to Flynn throughout, but does have one hilarious scene in which he guides the townspeople through Flynn's new mansion, emphasizing the rare nature of all the furnishings. The film has a nearly epic feel at times, covering several years, despite the reduced budget. Attractive settings and costumes, hordes of extras and a particularly good Max Steiner score help bring it over. It may be a tad too long, but only a few sequences drag. Most of the film clips along, interestingly, until it's fairly predictable conclusion.