The sexism behind Stanwyck's enjoyment of being physically assaulted by Gable is merely the most odious part of this none too good film. There's Clarence Brown, for starters. I cannot think of a director less suited to the action/romance genre than this stiff, earnest fellow. It's kind of like asking Angela Merkel to do stand up. And the dialogue by Barre "I love a pseudonym" Lyndon and Marge Decker is at one with Brown's heavy handedness. Let this "romantic" exchange between the two leads serve as an example of the general awfulness of the writing: "You're no one till someone loves you" (Babs). "I never thought about it like that" (Gable). Throw in dull race car footage and you can see why it only rates a five and would have been lower had it not been for Stanwyck, who never ever phones it in no matter how convenient the telephone booth Solid C.
PS...Adolphe Menjou and Will Geer together in a film made at the height of HUAC? Hmm. Wonder if they even acknowledged each other offscreen?
PS...Adolphe Menjou and Will Geer together in a film made at the height of HUAC? Hmm. Wonder if they even acknowledged each other offscreen?