Mississippi Gambler ** (1942, Kent Taylor, Frances Langford, John Litel, Shemp Howard, Claire Dodd, Wade Boteler) – Classic Movie Review 12,497

Universal Pictures’ 1942 black and white American crime thriller film Mississippi Gambler stars Kent Taylor as a New York City newsman reporter called Johnny Forbes, who seeks a killer. Better news is the charm and singing of co-star Frances Langford.

Director John Rawlins’s 1942 Universal Pictures black and white American crime thriller film Mississippi Gambler stars Kent Taylor as a New York City newsman reporter called Johnny Forbes, who seeks a killer. The trail leads him to a plantation owned by a supposedly dead notorious mob boss (John Litel) who has had a face change operation by plastic surgery, as well as of course a name change.

There is some fun and B-movie appeal to be found here, though it’s largely a case of the poster’s better than the film. The over-familiar plotting and mostly bland performances help to take down this mundane filler thriller. However, to be fair, there is much amusing bantering dialogue along the way, and a lot of mystery story to unravel, which Rawlins makes a more than fair job of.

Co-star and romantic interest Frances Langford gets to sing a couple of contrasting songs – the romantic ‘There Goes My Romance’ and the upbeat ‘Got Love’, both written by Jimmy McHugh (music) and Harold Adamson (lyrics) – which are mere padding, even in this short running time of only 60 minutes.

Admittedly though, Frances Langford makes the songs entertaining padding, and she brings vivacious charm to the otherwise humble film. Shemp Howard is also enjoyable as Brooklyn cab driver Milton Davis, who drives the reporter around, and Claire Dodd is a welcome presence as an old flame of the mob boss.

It is written by Al Martin and Roy Chanslor, based on a story by Al Martin and Marion Orth.

The film was released by Universal Pictures on 17 April 1942.

It is the second Universal Studios film with this title, though each has a different plot, following The Mississippi Gambler (1929) and preceding the Tyrone Power hit The Mississippi Gambler (1953).

The cast are Kent Taylor as Johnny Forbes, Frances Langford as Beth Cornell, John Litel as Jim Hadley aka Francis Carvel, Shemp Howard as Brooklyn cab driver Milton Davis, Claire Dodd as Gladys La Verne, Wade Boteler as New York newspaper editor Eric Brandon, Douglas Fowley as Chet Matthews, Aldrich Bowker as Judd Higgins, Eddie Dunn as Police Detective Sergeant Dexter, Harry Hayden as Sheriff Dan Calkins, David Oliver [Dave Oliver] as Croupier, Eddie Acuff as Everett, Paul Phillips as Sid, George H Reed as Roy, Alexander Lockwood as Spence, and Robert Barron as Bert.

American film actor and writer Wade Boteler (October 3, 1888 – May 7, 1943) acted in more than 430 films between 1919 and 1943. So many films, even before an early death aged 54.

Mississippi Gambler is directed by John Rawlins, runs 60 minutes, is made and released by Universal Pictures, is written by Al Martin and Roy Chanslor, based on a story by Al Martin and Marion Orth, is shot in black and white by John W Boyle, is produced by Paul Malvern, is scored by Charles Previn, and is designed by Jack Otterson.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,497

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