Pittsburgh *** (1942, Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott, John Wayne) – Classic Movie Review 5,521

The 1942 drama film Pittsburgh does the good deed of reuniting the star trio of the same year’s The Spoilers – Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott and John Wayne.

Director Lewis Seiler’s 1942 black and white drama film Pittsburgh does the good deed for vintage movie lovers of reuniting the star trio of the same year’s The Spoilers – Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott and John Wayne. It was partly filmed on location in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Coal-mining buddies John ‘Cash’ Evans (Scott) and Charles ‘Pittsburgh’ Markham (Wayne) both love Josie ‘Hunky’ Winters (Dietrich), who prompts them to be wildly ambitious. They steel themselves to get to the top in the Pittsburgh steel industry, but fall out, to be reconciled by America engaging in World War Two. One of the men ends up with Marlene’s Josie and the other with Shannon Prentiss (Louise Allbritton), an oil man’s daughter.

The engaging star chemistry works much better than Kenneth Gamet, Tom Reed and John Twist’s sedately paced, low-interest screenplay, while both Seiler’s direction and the support players are sturdy.

It is based on a story by George Owen and Tom Reed.

Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges has a rare dramatic role as as Shorty the tailor. Also in the cast are Frank Craven, Ludwig Stossel, Thomas Gomez, Samuel S Hinds, Sammy Stein, Paul Fix, John Dilson, William Haade, Charles Coleman, Nestor Paiva, Harry Cording, Douglas Fowley, Ray Walker, Charles Arnt, William Gould, Wade Botelier, Hobart Cavanaugh, Bess Flowers, Virginia Sale, Harry Seymour, Charles Sherlock, Alphonse Martell and Mira McKinney.

Pittsburgh is directed by Lewis Seiler, runs 91 minutes, is made by Charles K. Feldman Group, is released by Universal Pictures, is shot in black and white by Robert De Grasse, is written by Kenneth Gamet (screenplay), Tom Reed (screenplay) and John Twist (additional dialogue), is produced by Charles K Feldman and Robert Fellows, is scored by Hans J Salter, Frank Skinner and Charles Previn, and is designed by John B Goodman.

It was released on 11 December 1942 in the US.

Scott is billed second over Wayne in both Pittsburgh and The Spoilers though Wayne’s roles are larger.

The cast are Marlene Dietrich as Josie ‘Hunky’ Winters , Randolph Scott as John ‘Cash’ Evans, John Wayne as Charles ‘Pittsburgh’ Markham/ Charles Ellis, Frank Craven as J.M. “Doc” Powers, Louise Allbritton as Shannon Prentiss (Markham), Shemp Howard as Shorty the tailor, Thomas Gomez as Joe Malneck, Ludwig Stössel as Dr. Grazlich, Samuel S. Hinds as Morgan Prestiss, Paul Fix as Burnside, William Haade as Johnny, Charles Coleman as Mike, Nestor Paiva as Barney, Ray Walker as Sutcliffe, Grace Cunard, Sammy Stein, John Dilson, Harry Cording, Douglas Fowley, Charles Arnt, William Gould, Wade Botelier, Hobart Cavanaugh, Bess Flowers, Virginia Sale, Harry Seymour, Charles Sherlock, Alphonse Martell and Mira McKinney.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5521

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