La Rivière d'argent

Despite Stephen Longstreet and Harriet Frank's too verbose screenplay (was it really necessary to give Thomas Mitchell THREE condemnatory speeches of Errol Flynn when one would do?) and noted action director Raoul Walsh's obvious discomfort with examining the vicissitudes of the passionless Ann Sheridan/Bruce Bennet marriage to say nothing of trying to enliven business intrigue centered around cornering the silver market, I kind of enjoyed this rare foray of Flynn into anti hero-dom. Don't know whether it's because it mirrored what was going on in his private life or if he's just an under rated actor, but the guy does dark complexity of character rather well, in my opinion. Give it a B minus.

PS...The scene with U. S. Grant has to be the most superficial Hollywood portrayal of an American president until Pat McCormick essayed Grover Cleveland in Altman's "Buffalo Bill And The Indians", (another flawed but fun western).

This movie is a bit of a downer. The plot is hardly upbeat. It is a pessimistic story. Pessimistic stories can be engrossing-look at "The Treasure of Sierra Madre" for example-but, here, not all that much interesting happens. The performers do their usual shtick.. Sheridan, Bennett, and Mitchell are exactly the people you expect them to be, based on countless other movies. No great disadvantage, but no real advantage either.

Flynn is the main problem, but the problem is not with his looks. He appears older but still fit and handsome. He reads his lines and does his character well enough; his character is bitter and angry and cynical. But something very important is missing. The character is in no way likable. He is without humor, and, except for anger, without any juice, without any elan, without any positive emotion. We don't sympathize with him. We don't care if he repents.

Flynn looks unattractive because he plays an unattractive character. The movie has only a modicum of entertainment value primarily for this same reason.

Bearing in mind its problematic production this western hasn't turned out too badly. By the time he made this Errol Flynn's halcyon days had gone and his stock with Warner Bros was pretty low. He was in his prime and still 'box office' but his lifestyle was beginning to take its toll and his behaviour to test everyone's patience. Of the last two westerns he made before the studio terminated his contract, this one is infinitely better than the second although that wouldn't be difficult!

His co-star Ann Sheridan was herself no stranger to 'the sauce' and by all accounts she and Flynn sat around drinking iced water laced with Vodka.

Moreover director Raoul Walsh excelled in action sequences and soon became impatient with the rather verbose script. It must be said that after the thrilling opening sequence the rest of the film is something of an anti-climax.

Despite all this there is a great deal to recommend this film and its momentum keeps one watching. The direction is taut, the editing by Alan Crosland Jr is razor sharp and maestro Miklos Rozsa has provided a magnificent score.

The performance that stands out is that of Thomas Mitchell. He is a drunk who first becomes Flynn's lawyer and finally becomes the voice of his conscience. His part is the best written and he steals all of his scenes.

There is alas no great chemistry between the two stars and the scenes where they fight are far more effective than those in which they love. Flynn plays his part of a morally ambiguous, self-made businessman with aplomb but Miss Sheridan looks distinctly disengaged and lacks conviction. She was singularly unimpressed with the finished product.

This is far from being a classic western but one is happy to accept its weaknesses in exchange for its strengths.

"Silver River" is an under-appreciated, near classic western, that cries out for two things, color and greater chemistry between Flynn and Sheridan. Flynn liked VERY young women; he was probably intimidated by the mature, stronger, types, and Sheridan was one of the strongest. The hostile fireworks between them are quite convincing, the romance, less so. Since Flynn's feelings for Sheridan are central to the plot and thematic elements of this movie, this could have been disastrous. However, the complex, biographical-like plotting, solid performances by supporting actors and well choreographed overall action make up for this. The behavior of Flynn's character is quite understandable. When he is unselfish, he invariably suffers, having his career destroyed, not once, but twice. Thomas Mitchell's reformed drunk turned senatorial candidate would seem far fetched, until we are reminded that President Grant (a key character in the story) was a reformed alcoholic. Mitchell does the right things for the wrong reasons, Flynn the wrong things for the right reasons. This is certainly my favorite Errol Flynn western. I just wish Warner Brothers had given Flynn his usual "A" treatment and opted for color. I give "Silver River" an "8".

This Raoul Walsh's movie looks like a Republic western, most of them urban western taking place in Frisco in music halls, lobbies, or aboard a river boat more than a classic western shot in Death Valley. It is not what you could expect it to be, especially with Errol Flynn. It could have been written by an optimist Norman Mailer or Scott Fitzgerald, because this movie is not sad, not gloomy, saving a predictable ending for Hollywood standard. Good stuff for gem lovers. Not my Raoul Walsh's stuff for sure. And far too long for my taste.