While fictionalized, this film follows the general outline of the life of Horace Tabor, known as The Bonanza King of Leadville, who was a prospector, businessman, and politician (becoming the Lieutenant Governor of Colorado).
Although called Yates Martin in the film, the story follows Tabor from store owner to silver magnate to Lieutenant Governor to U.S. Senator, to financial ruination -- all basically true. He dumps his faithful wife in favor of a young woman who seems to be after him only for his money, marries the second wife in a scandalous wedding in Washington, and in the film and in real life, she sticks with him through the good times and the bad. The film seems to imply that upon his financial ruination he had a slight stroke, and then died of a heart attack after seeing the "ghosts of his success" in his grand opera house. In reality, Tabor died of appendicitis. The film does not go into what happened to his two wives to any extent. His first wife became relatively wealthy in her own right due to wise investments. His second wife (Elizabeth "Baby Doe" McCourt), then poor, went to live in the tool shed of the Tabor's Matchless Mine for 30 years and died there. Perhaps the screen writers felt that was just too fantastic to be believed, even though it did happen.
This is one of Edward G. Robinson's most notable roles, and he plays each chapter of the life of the silver magnate brilliantly. Not particularly easy, since the character has few redeeming qualities. Aline MacMahon as the first wife is just wonderful, and Bebe Daniels is great as the second wife.
I particularly enjoyed the film because I recently moved to Colorado and was familiar with the real story. Highly recommended, and especially noteworthy since it was made in 1932...more sophisticated than most films of that era.
Although called Yates Martin in the film, the story follows Tabor from store owner to silver magnate to Lieutenant Governor to U.S. Senator, to financial ruination -- all basically true. He dumps his faithful wife in favor of a young woman who seems to be after him only for his money, marries the second wife in a scandalous wedding in Washington, and in the film and in real life, she sticks with him through the good times and the bad. The film seems to imply that upon his financial ruination he had a slight stroke, and then died of a heart attack after seeing the "ghosts of his success" in his grand opera house. In reality, Tabor died of appendicitis. The film does not go into what happened to his two wives to any extent. His first wife became relatively wealthy in her own right due to wise investments. His second wife (Elizabeth "Baby Doe" McCourt), then poor, went to live in the tool shed of the Tabor's Matchless Mine for 30 years and died there. Perhaps the screen writers felt that was just too fantastic to be believed, even though it did happen.
This is one of Edward G. Robinson's most notable roles, and he plays each chapter of the life of the silver magnate brilliantly. Not particularly easy, since the character has few redeeming qualities. Aline MacMahon as the first wife is just wonderful, and Bebe Daniels is great as the second wife.
I particularly enjoyed the film because I recently moved to Colorado and was familiar with the real story. Highly recommended, and especially noteworthy since it was made in 1932...more sophisticated than most films of that era.