This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Blistering performances.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

... and they still can't turn out a decent script. It's not surprising that the majority of writers (and there were nine in total) remain uncredited. I suspect they asked to be disassociated with this turkey rather than being bounced. On paper it has legs, Gable and Turner in the lead, Frank Morgan, Albert Dekker, Claire Trevor and Chill Wills holding their coats, but in practice it's a serious disappointment. If it took nine brains to come up with the idea of one man wanting it all in the wake of a modest success it clearly needed nine directors to make it palatable and all we get is one journeyman, Jack Conway, not even a second-rate Woody Van Dyke. On balance its best forgotten.

The first of four screen pairings of Clark Gable and Lana Turner has Gable as Candy Johnson, a con artist/card shark who's been run out of one too many towns, with his partner in crime Chill Wills, due to their shady dealings and swindling the "suckers," as he calls them. He decides he wants to find one place and stay there, and go honest, at least partly. The next place down the line on the train is Yellow Creek, Nevada. On the way, he meets Lana, a sweet, pretty young thing, who's going to stay with her father. They of course instantly start making sparks, him coming on to her and Lana trying her best to not let on she likes him. In town, he finds he knows her father, the respected judge, played by Frank Morgan, who really isn't really honest, but is a drunk crook, to put it bluntly, and who puts up a front of respectability and in turn collects taxes and fees and uses them for his own habits. It turns out Candy and the judge go way back, but Lana never knew her father was anything but a good fellow. Claire Trevor is great as a saloon girl/poker dealer, who also knew Candy from the past and who is still harboring a yen for him. And, of course, there's a jerk, who's abusing the position of Sheriff, played by Albert Dekker. Have I got you in the mood for a good, old-fashioned western? Well, you can find it here, but up to a point. Most of the appeal of this is of course Gable and Turner together and their fireworks, with some fast-talking quips by Gable, such as when trying to kiss her, "Why don't you jump in and get wet all over? You'll feel better." and also by costar Marjorie Main, who was Ma Kettle. But after the first hour or so, the novelty wears off and and the melodramatics take over and there's too much talking and not enough action. "Honky Tonk" may be the most known and liked of their movies together, but it's far from perfect. I'd rather give this a 7.5, but I will round up for Gable being in top form and in his element as fast-talking Candy Johnson and for Lana Turner, who never looked more sweet and flirtatious than she does here.

This is Clark Gable in his fifth film after Gone With the Wind and pre-World War II when he was at the peak of his Clark Gable screen persona that he best remembered by as the rugged, devil-may-care, reckless, dangerous, sly, witty, conniving, and handsome character that finds trouble and romance equally irresistible. Kind of like the character that Sean Connery portrayed in his early Bond pictures. This is typical Gable matched up with his feminine romantic adversary this time around in a young Lana Turner in their first film together. Turner is absolutely beautiful. He's a con man and gambler in the old west that flees from town to town one step ahead of the law and anyone he's crossed or bamboozled. He and his side kick Chill Wills land in a town where he ends up in love with the Judge daughter. He and the Judge played by Frank Morgan share a common shady past. Gable buys a saloon and ends up taking over the town but there's plenty of trouble always looming while he simultaneously tries to lead the life of a settled down married man. Claire Trevor, Majorie Main and Albert Dekker are among the supporting cast. Harrold Rosson who photographed The Wizzard of Oz and had 5 Academy Award nominations in his long career is the cinematographer with some scenes shot by 4 time Academy Award nominated and long-time Greta Garbo photographer William H. Daniels. Jack Conway who directed Gable in Boomtwon, Too Hot to Handle, Saratoga and The Hucksters as well as directing such notable films as Red Headed Woman, Libeled Lady and A Tale of Two Cities is the film's director. Franz Waxman provides the score. It's a nice blend of drama, romance and comedy and I would give it an 8.5 out of 10.

This is a slick MGM western that pulls out all the stops. It combines the finest actors and supporting actors, excellent production values and excellent writing to make a very enjoyable picture. I'm sure that some might be put off by the style of film, as it's pretty predictable and breaks no particular new ground. However, to audiences who were paying to see a "Clark Gable Picture", they were getting exactly what they paid for--the King of Hollywood in all his macho-ness combined with the radiant Ms. Turner in an involving western about professional gambler Gable and his desire to make a fortune any way he can to initially please his new wife, but forgetting WHY over the course of the film. It's all you'd expect from a top-notch studio with top-notch stars.