The Cowboy and the Lady *** (1938, Gary Cooper, Merle Oberon, Patsy Kelly, Walter Brennan, Fuzzy Knight, Henry Kolker, Harry Davenport) – Classic Movie Review 7156

Merle Oberon stars as politician’s daughter Mary Smith, a scatty, lonely socialite who masquerades as a maid and falls for lean, outspoken rodeo rider Stretch (Gary Cooper), unaware of her identity, in director H C Potter’s light-hearted, featherweight 1938 typically Thirties romantic comedy The Cowboy and the Lady.

It has its charms but the two stars’ talents just do not gel too well and Oberon has a problem playing light comedy in the likeable, ideally cast Cooper’s major league. S N Behrman and Sonya Levien’s screenplay (based on a story by Leo McCarey and Frank R Adams) is in the right ballpark but it is thinly stretched and sometimes in trouble too. There are compensation in the film’s sweet, amusing tone and the engaging, scene-stealing performances of the strong supporting cast, particularly Patsy Kelly as Katie Callahan, Walter Brennan as Sugar, Fuzzy Knight as Buzz, Henry Kolker as Horace Smith, Harry Davenport as Uncle Hannibal Smith.

There were three Oscar nominations, but only one win – for Best Sound, Recording (Thomas T Moulton). The nominations were for Best Music, Original Song (‘The Cowboy and the Lady’ by Lionel Newman (music) and Arthur Quenzer (lyrics)) and Best Music, Original Score (Alfred Newman).

Also in the cast are Mabel Todd, Emma Dunn, Walter Walker, Berton Churchill, Charles Richman, Frederick Vogeding and Arthur Hoyt.

The Cowboy and the Lady is directed by H C Potter, runs 91 minutes, is made by the Samuel Goldwyn Company, is released by United Artists, is written by S N Behrman and Sonya Levien, based on a story by Leo McCarey and Frank R Adams, is shot in black and white by Gregg Toland, is produced by Samuel Goldwyn, is scored by Alfred Newman, and is designed by Richard Day.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7156

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