Silver River (1948)

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Although the first 10 minutes of "Silver River" seem like a typical Errol Flynn western, the story soon takes a turn into more tangled territory.Mike McComb (Errol Flynn), has shades of darkness that are almost Shakespearean or more appropriately, biblical – part of the plot is based on the story of David and Bathsheba from the Book of Samuel.Directed by Raoul Walsh, "Silver River" starts as Mike McComb is cashiered from the army during the Civil War. Embittered, he becomes a gambler bent on only looking out for himself. He heads west to Silver River in Nevada to open a saloon and gambling hall. Along the way he falls for Georgia Moore (Ann Sheridan) the wife of Stanley Moore (Bruce Bennett), a silver mine owner.McComb becomes the wealthiest and most influential man in town. But things unravel when it seems he will stop at nothing to get Georgia Moore. Eventually he seeks redemption when the town turns against him.Apparently Flynn didn't want to make another western although he appreciated that the script for this one had more depth than usual. In Marilyn Ann Moss' biography of Raoul Walsh, she quotes Flynn as saying, "As a Western I think it is damned good. I wish it would have been given me for one of the five other Westerns they had me do … but I'm not going to be the Gene Autry of the future". However his contract forced him to make it. The film looks lavish with a powerful score by Max Steiner who didn't believe in music you don't notice. It also had a great cast including Ann Sheridan and Thomas Mitchell.Flynn and Sheridan were good together and she looks fabulous in the film. Apparently both liked a drink and managed to smuggle alcohol onto the set. The author of the original story and scriptwriter, Stephen Longstreet recalled, "It soon became clear that they were, even if we didn't see how. Later, I went over and tasted the ice water. It was pure 90-proof vodka." It doesn't really show except in a few of Flynn's early scenes where he appears particularly laid-back and mellow.The stories that surround the stars and filmmakers are often more interesting than the films they made, but "Silver River has surprising layers. This was Errol Flynn and Ann Sheridan's last film together; sad when you know they both died relatively young; he at 50, she at 51.

Errol Flynn is kicked out of the Union Army at the end of the Civil War for disobeying orders, albeit for good reasons. Now embittered, he travels to Silver City, Nevada, where he becomes a successful businessman through ruthless tactics. He also has an eye for married Ann Sheridan. Eventually Flynn's ruthlessness catches up with him.So-so western with a decent cast and director. Flynn's amoral character makes for interesting viewing, though the cop-out ending is absolutely terrible and undermines the rest of the film. Nice support from Thomas Mitchell, Tom D'Andrea, and Barton MacLane. The part with Ulysses S. Grant is amusing, particularly his short height, which is surprisingly historically accurate. The last of seven films Flynn made with director Raoul Walsh. Flynn's alcoholism and poor behavior while filming ticked Walsh off so much he refused to work with him again.

There was a time when, like most of America, I'd watch any western movie. Things have changed for America, and widely-watched westerns are a rarity. And, the western that will hold my attention is a rarity, as well. While this film is not one of the great westerns, it's interesting enough to hold my attention.The beginning is interesting...a rebel raid on a Union payroll just outside of Gettysburg on a fateful day. Rather than surrender the payroll, Errol Flynn burns it, and as a result is drummed out of the army. Incidentally, there is one little problem here -- the landscape looks absolutely nothing like Gettysburg. Ah well.Errol Flynn (with sidekick Tom D'Andrea) then strikes out for Nevada, but his attitude has soured against life and he becomes somewhat ruthless. He takes over some gambling equipment and heads west, taking away a wagon train business from a lady (Ann Sheridan) who had already rented the wagons for her and her husband's mine...of course, in the same town as Flynn had decided to set up a saloon. Romantic spanks fly, although only on Flynn's side.Once in the wild west town, the saloon is built and Flynn gains a share of the mine owned by Sheridan and her husband. Flynn remains rather ruthless, although he does drink milk rather than whiskey. But, like many ruthless men, Flynn goes too far. He sends Sheridan's husband into Shoshone Indian country, knowing that it means almost certain death. And although he has second thoughts and attempts to rescue him, he is too late. The town begins to turn against him, led by lawyer Mitchell. Oddly enough, Sheridan is the only one who softens, and marries him. Of course, Warner Brothers can't have Errol Flynn ride off into the sunset (which he actually does here) being the bad guy. So, after lawyer-turned-politician Mitchell is shot to death, Flynn rouses the silver miners to hunt down the guilty party, and in the town center Flynn confesses that all the town's problems rest on him. Cheers. Sunset.If there's a problem with this film it's that there really is no good guy. It's difficult to like Flynn because of his ruthlessness. Ann Sheridan is too hard a woman to like. Thomas Mitchell, as Flynn's lawyer is just as ruthless as Flynn. Bruce Bennett (as Sheridan's husband) is a weakling. And of course, Barton MacLane is always a bad guy. Perhaps only Tom D'Andrea (later Gillis on "The Life Of Riley") comes off as a likable character.But saying that the characters are not likable, is not questioning the ability of the acting. It's great acting here. Flynn, though in more of a business character than a swashbuckler, is excellent, as is Sheridan. But perhaps the highest honors should go to Thomas Mitchell, who alternately plays a drunk, a serious lawyer, a drunk again, and then a rising politician who goes against Flynn's silver interests.

The idea of bringing the story of King David to a western is not an easy task, and it ends up spoiling this film. Errol Flynn can only play Errol Flynn, and he is good as long as he is the selfish McComb, trying to build an empire, but when comes the time to repent, he is not convincing. You can't help comparing him with Gregory Peck who really makes you feel he is suffering in "David and Bathsheba". Thomas Mitchell is very good as the equivalent of Nathan, the prophet. As for Ann Sheridan, she is no Susan Hayward. If this would have been a standard Errol Flynn western, it had all the elements to be one of the best, specially due to Raoul Walsh, and the music by Max Steiner.