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By
NICK ZEGARAC
Director Michael Curtiz's
"Dodge City" 1939 is just such a stellar example
of all three fictional edicts in cinematic
storytelling. The film tells the story of Wade
Hamilton (Errol Flynn), an honest to goodness
all-American hunky hero who stumbles across danger
and adventure -- sans Indians -- in Dodge City.
Seems the town is run by a self-appointed,
self-righteous cattle rancher, Jeff Surrett (Bruce
Cabot) who really doesn't care if his shoot 'em up
oasis makes general living conditions
inhospitable. But Wade has different ideas. In
fact, there is a growing political concern in the
town who would like to see him made town Marshall.
After all, it was Wade's ingenuity and
perseverance that helped usher in the railroad.
Of course, all is not rosy in Wade's world either.
His affections for Abbie Irving (Olivia de
Havilland) have gone by the proverbial romantic
waste side ever since he shot her brother. Go
figure. But both Abbie and Wade eventually
reconcile their conflict of affections in alliance
on the side of truth, justice and the American
way. All Wade needs now is a cape, some red
spandex and x-ray vision to make the fantasy
complete. As it is, he's given a horse,
six-shooters and a lot of gumption to go against
Jeff and his cronies, thereby restoring peace,
order and good government to Dodge City.
Robert Buckner's screenplay affords Flynn the
opportunity to mix the light with the heavy,
employing that inimitable Flynn charm to turn up
the heat and bump up the action another majestic
notch. Hence, despite all its hokum and treacle,
"Dodge City" emerges as unbridled entertainment of
the highest order in fluff and nonsense. Really
good stuff in a "throw your history books out the
window" sort of way and "to hell with the Navaho
too.'
Warner's DVD is surprisingly good looking when
directly compared to "The Private Lives of
Elizabeth and Essex" both produced the same year.
Some minor fading and flickering of colors are
obvious during scene transitions. But blacks are
generally deep and velvety, whites are white.
Flesh tones are about as natural as three strip
Technicolor can offer. Many of the scenes have
retained their original vintage vibrancy. The
audio has been very nicely cleaned up and is
presented at an adequate listening level. |
