Thunder Bay (1953)

You won't be disappointed!

The greatest movie ever made..!

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

THUNDER BAY is another collaboration between director Anthony Mann and star James Stewart, riding high on the success of their western collaborations such as WINCHESTER '73. This one's a less successful story about Stwart's oil man who is convinced that he's on the verge of discovering a rich bed of oil in the Gulf of Mexico, and the conflict that arises when he interrupts the livelihoods of the local shrimping fishermen.The story isn't so bad, it's just that the execution feels dated and a bit melodramatic. For one of the first times I can remember I didn't like Stewart's character; I like the actor well enough, but his character seemed single-minded and oblivious to the feelings of others here. The pacing is slow with the story bogged down by the standard romantic sub-plots and the like, and it only really picks up with an admittedly impressive climax. THUNDER BAY is a piece of drama that's only so-so to my mind.

Steve Martin, a man pursuing a dream of finding oil in the Gulf of Mexico, had no idea what he would be getting into when he and his partner, Johnny Gambi arrived at the sleepy fisherman town in Louisiana to meet Kermit McDonald, the head of a firm at the brink of bankruptcy.The new arrivals are clearly not welcome by the small fishing community, suffering from bad years for the lack of shrimp, their principal source of income. Afraid of the way Martin will change the source of their livelihood, create an unforeseen animosity among the oil people and the locals. The situation escalates when Johnny Gambi falls in love with the daughter of a well liked man."Thunder Bay", a 1953 Universal picture, was seen recently on a cable channel. Directed by Anthony Mann, the film keeps the viewer involved, as the action keeps building up. The enactment of a storm in the Gulf area looks real, even though special effects then, were not what they are today. Thanks to Mr. Mann and his crew, things keep moving at a good pace, building on the strength of a dire situation and a deadline for finding the oil.James Stewart does not disappoint with his Steve Martin. After all, Mr. Stewart always delivered, as is the case here. Dan Duryea playing against type, is fun to watch. Joanne Dru has some good moments as Stella. Gibert Roland appears as a shrimp boat owner.

The outsiders are the oil guys coming into a small fishing town off the Gulf of Mexico. Jealousies erupt, fear of the new technology is involved. Businessmen are risking everything they've got "and this time it has to work or they're finished". You know the rest.You should decide for yourself whether it's the acting or the script that's marginal. Stewart plays it like he always does, but there's not much challenge in the role. I can't help but wonder if Senator Kerr (D - Okalahoma) helped finance this little "promo" piece for his company.Interesting though that this really is a look at Kerr-McGee's first offshore oil platform, which struck oil at a time when the post-war (we can make cars again!!) economy was exploding. The shrimpers are still shrimping and the oil is still flowing from that day to this (with a little break for a few hurricanes).An informally educational look back at the hot controversy that abounded at the time, 1947.

"Thunder Bay," strictly a man's picture, may be considered a Western, with boats and oil substituting for horses and guns, on the Gulf Coast off Louisiana...Stewart and Mann considered as regular partners begun for what they thought were fresh pastures... Stewart is properly tough, wild and laconic as the enthusiastic engineer convinced that oil reserves might lie beneath the Louisiana waters, and Duryea have come up with a drilling platform that resists the fury of even the worst storms... Away they go to find offshore oil, with the encouragement of Jay. C. Flippen willing to ramp up, pumping money on exploration...The drilling clashes with the plans of shrimp fishermen who are opposing the test on the fishing grounds... It may have an adverse affect on their marine life...Duryea adds more complications to the action-drama by falling in love with the girlfriend of one of the fishermen, whose sister, Joanne Dru (echoing the sentiments of Janet Leigh in "The Naked Spur") is putting her eyes on Stewart... But the machinations of the two girls seem worthless material against the struggles between the guys, which are actually the main force of the movie...After several obstacles, violent storms, romantic distrust, and the retraction of magnate Flippen, who has lost faith in the project, all ends wonderfully when Stewart (hard to believe) discovers not only oil but an abundant source of shrimp...Subsequently the lovers pair off, and the former enemies become allies as they share their beneficial trades...Photographed in Technicolor, "Thunder Bay" is a well-produced movie, an entertaining piece of film making...