Silver River

Starring: Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan, Thomas Mitchell, Bruce Bennett, Tom D'Andrea, Barton MacLane, Monte Blue, Jonathan Hale
Directed by: Raoul Walsh
Rating: Passed
Genre: Western, Romance, Drama
1948

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: After being unfairly discharged from the military, a man (Errol Flynn) is determined to build wealth and success no matter what the cost.

Review:

Tim: I really enjoyed Raoul Walsh's Silver River. This is a common Western made uncommonly good based on the strength of the impressive cast and inspired directing of Walsh. The story here is good, but it's not especially original. The film succeeds because of execution- it tells its story especially well and connects us emotionally to the characters. I recognize I may have liked this movie more than most, but I'm confident in my assessment of it.

The story is an intriguing one. While nothing in it is especially new, it feels different from the myriad similar films made during this time period. We follow a man who seems like he gets a raw deal from the military during the Civil War. He burns $1 million to keep it out of the hands of the Confederacy, risking his life to do so. On trial, he's not praised, but condemned for his action. This changes the course of his life- his worldview changes from this act and it puts him on a very different path. He is determined to look out for himself and his closest compadres and everyone else be damned. It's an interesting story- an honorable man who is treated unfairly, causing him to act without honor in service of himself. The relationships he forms and strains by his actions are fascinating and watching his journey from beginning to end felt riveting to me. It was almost as if we were watching a man lose his soul and then be offered a chance to redeem himself. You could easily watch this film and not pick up the nuances of that story. It takes some digging, but the narrative absolutely gives you those opportunities. I became very interested in the character arc of Mike McComb, one of the more complex and complicated characters I've seen in any Western. That is a huge reason why this movie is so good (and underrated).

The cast makes a huge difference here, too. This is only the second Errol Flynn movie I've seen (Dodge City being the first). I was surprised by how much I liked his performance in that film. You could say the same thing here. I knew he was a good actor at this point, but he brings so many layers to McComb. He's loveable, unlikable, honorable, a scoundrel- all these things mixed together into a fascinating, complex character. His performance was excellent, bringing the multitudes of this man to life on screen. I was so impressed by his performance here and it's a big reason why the movie is better than you would expect. I've long been an Ann Sheridan fan. I think she's been forgotten unfairly and not given her due. She was a consistently impressive actress and she does great work here. She more than holds her own against Flynn's performance and she connects well with the extended cast. I was always interested in what her character was thinking or doing. She seems authentic, effortless in her performance. It was memorable and quite effective. I also love Thomas Mitchell. The guy is almost always excellent and that's the case again here. He steals nearly every scene he's in and he makes John Plato Beck and unforgettable and wonderful character. I was amazed at his ability to convey deep intelligence, great warmth and caring, yet also embrace the alcoholic, broken side of this character. Mitchell can do anything and is one of the best, most consistent character actors ever. His performance here was wonderful and he elevated the movie extensively. Bruce Bennett was fine, but he felt a clear tier below the main three cast members. I thought the rest of the cast was solid, but no one else made a real lasting impression. Tom D'Andrea likely deserves more mention, though. His performance never impresses, but it's consistently effective. He was so dependable in his role and he does help the movie quite a bit.

Raoul Walsh does a nice job of telling this story. It feels large in scope- from the Civil War, to the wild West, the examination of Western economy and politics, there's a lot here. The movie might be a tad long at 1 hour, 50 minutes, but not too much. The film tells a memorable story and the scope feels impressive. I know Silver River is overlooked at this point in time- I've never heard it talked about when discussing Westerns from the 1940s. Still, I think this is an especially good movie and I truly enjoyed watching it.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Dodge City, High Sierra, They Drive by Night