There's the potential for another "Barbary Coast" or "San Francisco" here with the character of the power-hungry villain Sidney Blackmer who is determined to run the entire territory of California in the 1850's and the pretty vixen (Yvonne de Carlo) who is obviously more than just his house guest. When Joel McCrea shows up and is instantly entranced with her, there's enough possibility for romantic and political intrigue to make this better than it turned out to be. What remains is a western that falls into predictability that has a few moments of surprises and a delightful supporting performance by that charming scene-stealer almost forgotten today, Florence Bates.
Ms. Bates, who got instant audience attention as the social-climbing Mrs. Van Hopper (Joan Fontaine's employer) in the first quarter of "Rebecca", takes on a Marie Dressler/Tugboat Annie type character here, an eye-patched waterfront saloon proprietress who sells off her drunken customers to sea captains to be part of their crew. In just a few short scenes, she makes you want to see more of her, but sadly her role is rather brief. She would continue to work a few more years, but her untimely death in 1954 deprived us of her lovable presence. In a bit with no dialog, "Ed Wood" perennial Tor Johnson is instantly recognizable as her server.
Even with the pedestrian plot, there's the always dependable Joel McCrea and the delightfully lovely Yvonne de Carlo (crying for Technicolor!) to give it more interest. But they are overshadowed in the major roles by Blackmer as a seemingly Boss Tweed type power-shaker who has every California politician under his belt and wouldn't hesitate in turning them in for corruption if it would help save his hide. It is just sad that a film which has so much going for it ends up being rather ordinary when it could have been so much more.
Ms. Bates, who got instant audience attention as the social-climbing Mrs. Van Hopper (Joan Fontaine's employer) in the first quarter of "Rebecca", takes on a Marie Dressler/Tugboat Annie type character here, an eye-patched waterfront saloon proprietress who sells off her drunken customers to sea captains to be part of their crew. In just a few short scenes, she makes you want to see more of her, but sadly her role is rather brief. She would continue to work a few more years, but her untimely death in 1954 deprived us of her lovable presence. In a bit with no dialog, "Ed Wood" perennial Tor Johnson is instantly recognizable as her server.
Even with the pedestrian plot, there's the always dependable Joel McCrea and the delightfully lovely Yvonne de Carlo (crying for Technicolor!) to give it more interest. But they are overshadowed in the major roles by Blackmer as a seemingly Boss Tweed type power-shaker who has every California politician under his belt and wouldn't hesitate in turning them in for corruption if it would help save his hide. It is just sad that a film which has so much going for it ends up being rather ordinary when it could have been so much more.