Themes: Ladder to the Top, Redemption, Crumbling Marriages
Main Cast: John Wayne, Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott, Frank Craven, Louise Allbritton
Release Year: 1942
Country: US
Run Time: 98 minutes
Plot
The three stars of Universal's The Spoilers -- Marlene Dietrich, John Wayne and Randolph Scott -- were reunited for the pageantlike adventure yarn Pittsburgh. As indicated by the title, this is a saga of the steel industry, with longtime buddies Pittsburgh Markham (Wayne) and Cash Evans (Scott) rising from the ranks of miners to run their own foundry. Ruthlessly devoted to his work, Pittsburgh eventually has a falling out with Cash and also jeopardizes his romantic relationship with beautiful Josie Winters (Dietrich). Thanks to his duplicitous business practices, Pittsburgh loses both Josie and his steel mill; but when America enters WW II, he redeems himself by signing on as a common workman with Cash's still-thriving organization. Well acted and directed, Pittsburgh nonetheless lacks the extra spark which transforms a good film into a great one. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Universal clearly hoped that lightning would strike twice with Pittsburgh, which reunited its trio of stars from The Spoilers. Unfortunately, Pittsburgh is at best only a moderately entertaining film, in need of a spark to ignite it. Blame rests primarily with the team of writers (at least five, and likely more that received no credit); the story they have crafted wants to have the sweep and grandeur of an Edna Ferber epic, but it lacks the clarity and vision. It also lacks originality, and this is much more damaging; there's too much of a "been there, done that" feeling to the goings-on. And it certainly doesn't help matters that there's more than a whiff of wartime propaganda in the writing, which places too much emphasis on the willingness of the steel industry to churn out product for the good of the war effort while glossing over the profit element involved. Lewis Seiler's direction also deserves some of the rap; it's not bad by any means, but it doesn't give a better shape to the story or disguise the familiarity. And it certainly doesn't provide the epic feel that the writers seem to be trying for. Fortunately, Pittsburgh has a cast that helps make up for its other flaws. True, Marlene Dietrich doesn't have enough to do, but she brings her special luminosity to what she does have. John Wayne is in fine form, playing up the caddishness of his part especially well, and Randolph Scott is a perfect foil for him. The stars can't make Pittsburgh a great film, but they make it more than watchable. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
