Silver River ** (1948, Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan, Thomas Mitchell) – Classic Movie Review 10,215

Director Raoul Walsh’s 1948 Warner Bros romantic Western Silver River stars Errol Flynn, who takes on an unusual role as a cashiered ex-army cavalry cardsharp, Captain Mike McComb, who uses his winnings to build, and lose, a silver mining empire in Nevada.

The script is fairly flat, weak and uninspired, so the film, while ambitious, is only adequate. Some of the characterisations are no better than cardboard cut-outs, giving the actors a hard time, with the exceptions of Ann Sheridan (Georgia Moore) and Thomas Mitchell (John Plato Beck), who manage to bring a great deal of charm and humanity to what is otherwise an overblown, self-important and insensitive production.

Director Walsh (White Heat) is capable of far better, as is Flynn, but both the scale and breadth of the picture are impressive, as are the musical score by Max Steiner and the black and white outdoors cinematography by Sid Hickox.

Silver River is the last of seven films by Walsh and Flynn. It had a big budget of $3,204,000, and it was their first box office disappointment.

Also in the cast are Bruce Bennett, Tom D’Andrea, Barton MacLane, Alan Bridge, Monte Blue, Jonathan Hale, Arthur Space, Art Baker, Joseph Crehan, Norman Jolley, Jack Davis and Harry Strang.

Stephen Longstreet and Harriet Frank Jr’s screenplay is based on the novel by Stephen Longstreet.

Flynn was battling his hard drinking.

It is shot at Sherwin Summit, Inyo National Forest, California; Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park, 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles; and the Warner Ranch, Calabasas, California.

It runs 110 minutes or 114 minutes in the extended cut.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,215

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com