BOOM TOWN (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1940) directed by Jack Conway, teams Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy for the third and final time, following SAN FRANCISCO (1936) and TEST PILOT (1938). While all three dramas were theatrically successful, BOOM TOWN is no exception. Reuniting Gable with Claudette Colbert from their Academy Award Best Picture winner of IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (Columbia, 1934), for which both won Best Actor/Actress awards, history was not repeated for BOOM TOWN, with chemistry not much the same as it was from their earlier comedy. For BOOM TOWN (not to be confused with Tracy's similar title BOYS TOWN (1938) for which he won the Academy Award as Best Actor), the story deals with friendship, fame and fortune between two oil prospectors, better known as "wildcatters," naturally played by Gable and Tracy, with Colbert and Hedy Lamarr around for background purposes.
Opening in Burkburnett, Texas, in 1918, John McMasters (Clark Gable) and John Sand (Spencer Tracy) meet to unfortunate circumstances. Though they start off disliking each another, they soon form a friendship, becoming partners as oil prospectors. Better known individually as "Big John" and "Square John," with Square John away on an oil venture, Elizabeth "Betsy" Bartlett (Claudette Colbert), a high school teacher and Square John's sweetheart from back home, comes to the oil town to surprise him. She meets Big John, with whom they enjoy the evening together at the rodeo, with Betsy keeping her identity secret after learning she's been enjoying herself with Big John. Before the night is over, Betsy, having fallen in love with Big John, marries him. Returning to town, Square John is told of their marriage and accepts the news, though he silently hides his disappointment from them. Through the course of time, their partnership comes to an end, leaving Big John and Betsy to venture out and start all over again. When Square John comes back to their lives in New York City, he notices Big John's association with Karen Vanmeer (Hedy Lamarr) to be more than business.
The supporting players include Frank Morgan (Luther Aldrich), Lionel Atwill (Harry Compton), Chill Wills ("Harmony" Jones), Casey Johnson (Little Jack McMasters); Marion Martin (Whitey) and Minna Gombell (Spanish Eva). Though there are repeated versus to the tune "Polly Wooly Doodle," the film's official song heard in Spanish Eva's saloon happens to be "After You've Gone."
With BOOM TOWN being such a good story, it's even a better with a cast such as this. While the wife could have been played by any one of its studio actresses as Rosalind Russell or Myrna Loy, Claudette Colbert, having ventured from home studio of Paramount, appears to be the stronger candidate. The material provided reminiscences something that could have had other rugged he-men types as John Wayne and Randolph Scott in the Gable and Tracy roles, who incidentally did do similar chores in PITTSBURGH (Universal, 1942) starring Marlene Dietrich. With two rugged he-men sharing the same rise to riches story naturally there would be fist fights between them. The one staged by Gable and Tracy includes a nice cutaway towards the observant motionless Hedy Lamarr, not caring what happens to them. Frank Morgan is amusing playing the oil supply storekeeper, while Lionel Atwill, better known for horror movies for Universal, coming late in the story, in his minor role as president of an oil company.
With a story that goes on for nearly two hours, the four major stars sharing the same movie simply make it worth the time and effort. Available on home video and later DVD, cable television broadcasts for BOOM TOWN can be seen occasionally on Turner Classic Movies (***1/2 oil gushers).
Opening in Burkburnett, Texas, in 1918, John McMasters (Clark Gable) and John Sand (Spencer Tracy) meet to unfortunate circumstances. Though they start off disliking each another, they soon form a friendship, becoming partners as oil prospectors. Better known individually as "Big John" and "Square John," with Square John away on an oil venture, Elizabeth "Betsy" Bartlett (Claudette Colbert), a high school teacher and Square John's sweetheart from back home, comes to the oil town to surprise him. She meets Big John, with whom they enjoy the evening together at the rodeo, with Betsy keeping her identity secret after learning she's been enjoying herself with Big John. Before the night is over, Betsy, having fallen in love with Big John, marries him. Returning to town, Square John is told of their marriage and accepts the news, though he silently hides his disappointment from them. Through the course of time, their partnership comes to an end, leaving Big John and Betsy to venture out and start all over again. When Square John comes back to their lives in New York City, he notices Big John's association with Karen Vanmeer (Hedy Lamarr) to be more than business.
The supporting players include Frank Morgan (Luther Aldrich), Lionel Atwill (Harry Compton), Chill Wills ("Harmony" Jones), Casey Johnson (Little Jack McMasters); Marion Martin (Whitey) and Minna Gombell (Spanish Eva). Though there are repeated versus to the tune "Polly Wooly Doodle," the film's official song heard in Spanish Eva's saloon happens to be "After You've Gone."
With BOOM TOWN being such a good story, it's even a better with a cast such as this. While the wife could have been played by any one of its studio actresses as Rosalind Russell or Myrna Loy, Claudette Colbert, having ventured from home studio of Paramount, appears to be the stronger candidate. The material provided reminiscences something that could have had other rugged he-men types as John Wayne and Randolph Scott in the Gable and Tracy roles, who incidentally did do similar chores in PITTSBURGH (Universal, 1942) starring Marlene Dietrich. With two rugged he-men sharing the same rise to riches story naturally there would be fist fights between them. The one staged by Gable and Tracy includes a nice cutaway towards the observant motionless Hedy Lamarr, not caring what happens to them. Frank Morgan is amusing playing the oil supply storekeeper, while Lionel Atwill, better known for horror movies for Universal, coming late in the story, in his minor role as president of an oil company.
With a story that goes on for nearly two hours, the four major stars sharing the same movie simply make it worth the time and effort. Available on home video and later DVD, cable television broadcasts for BOOM TOWN can be seen occasionally on Turner Classic Movies (***1/2 oil gushers).