Main Cast: Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan, Thomas Mitchell, Bruce Bennett, Tom D'Andrea
Release Year: 1948
Country: US
Run Time: 108 minutes
Plot
Love leads a man to his most evil deeds and forces him to change his ways in this Western. After being handed a dishonorable discharge during the Civil War, Mike McComb (Errol Flynn) becomes a professional gambler and follows a path of ruthless action to get what he wants. After moving out West and making a killing prospecting silver, McComb becomes a wealthy and powerful man, and he finds himself infatuated with beautiful Georgia Moore (Ann Sheridan). However, Georgia is married to Stanley Moore (Bruce Bennett), who works for McComb, so he arranges for Stanley to be given a dangerous assignment; Stanley is killed, and McComb sweeps the widowed Georgia off her feet. Georgia weds McComb, but in time she finds out the ugly truth about her second husband, leaving him behind. Devastated, McComb sets out to mend his ways and win Georgia back by serving more noble purposes. Silver River was the seventh Flynn vehicle directed by Raoul Walsh; it would also mark the last time they worked together. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Silver River should be a much better movie than it is. After all, it has Errol Flynn, who practically defined the idea of an adventure hero in the hey day of the cinema. And there's Ann Sheridan, a beauty that's always a pleasure to have around. They're being guided through their paces by Raoul Walsh, a director who knew his way around the Western and Flynn both (no easy task, that last one). Yet, while River is no disaster, it's a pretty dull movie -- after the first 15 minutes that is. The opening sequence is actually very good, containing excitement and action and promising a rip-roaring good time. But after that, it's down hill. Part of the problem is that Flynn's character is unlikeable; sure, it's a tale of redemption and so the character has to have flaws. But it's hard to muster sufficient sympathy for him after he sends his rival out on a mission with the express purpose of being killed. The script also meanders, and it doesn't provide the kind of big moments we keep hankering after. For his part, Flynn walks through much of the picture, relying on his charm to get him through parts that clearly don't interest him. Sheridan does rather better, but she's off her mark a bit, too, and Walsh just seems uncharacteristically at sea. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Ted Smith - Art Director, Marjorie Best - Costume Designer, William Travilla - Costume Designer, Raoul Walsh - Director, Alan Crosland, Jr. - Editor, Jack L. Warner - Executive Producer, Max Steiner - Composer (Music Score), Leo F. Forbstein - Musical Direction/Supervision, Perc Westmore - Makeup, Sidney Hickox - Cinematographer, Owen Crump - Producer, William Wallace - Set Designer, Edwin DuPar - Special Effects, William McGann - Special Effects, Francis J. Scheid - Sound/Sound Designer, Harriet Frank, Jr. - Screenwriter, Stephen Longstreet - Screenwriter, Stephen Longstreet - Book Author
