Copyright 24 February 1949 by Loew's Inc. An M-G-M picture. U.S. release: April 1949. U.K. release: 6 March 1950. New York opening at the Gotham: 21 May 1949. Australian release: 25 August 1949. 7,750 feet. 86 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Big Jack and his outlaw gang save a young doctor from a hanging party.
NOTES: Wallace Beery's final fling. He died of a heart attack in his Hollywood home on the night of 15 April 1949.
Seventh pairing of Beery with Marjorie Main. Their ill feeling was mutual. She always complained he never spoke his lines as written, whilst he retorted that she could never remember hers. "She's blown her lines already thirteen times on this one take," Beery complained to a Hollywood reporter. "If I have to make another picture with her, so help me I'll have a heart attack!"
COMMENT: A promising script ruined by Richard Thorpe's typically lackluster direction. In his last film performance, Beery was allowed to act in an even more hammy fashion than usual. The support cast, with the exception of Marjorie Main and Syd Saylor, is not particularly strong. The best feature of the film is Robert Surtees' fine photography.
SYNOPSIS: Big Jack and his outlaw gang save a young doctor from a hanging party.
NOTES: Wallace Beery's final fling. He died of a heart attack in his Hollywood home on the night of 15 April 1949.
Seventh pairing of Beery with Marjorie Main. Their ill feeling was mutual. She always complained he never spoke his lines as written, whilst he retorted that she could never remember hers. "She's blown her lines already thirteen times on this one take," Beery complained to a Hollywood reporter. "If I have to make another picture with her, so help me I'll have a heart attack!"
COMMENT: A promising script ruined by Richard Thorpe's typically lackluster direction. In his last film performance, Beery was allowed to act in an even more hammy fashion than usual. The support cast, with the exception of Marjorie Main and Syd Saylor, is not particularly strong. The best feature of the film is Robert Surtees' fine photography.