Gary Cooper fell ill and was unable to reprise his screen role in this broadcast – so Frederick March (who always struck me as the sort of film star you cast when you can’t get the actor you want) stepped in. March makes the unwise decision to imitate Cooper. I’ve never been a big fan of Cooper – so many people claim he was a great screen actor but I still can’t see it; he always seems to play a sook. But he’s better than March playing Cooper.
Fortunately Jean Arthur returns as Calamity Jane – she’s really cute, even on radio, full of pining love and indignation, a great mythical Jane. Joan Fontaine pops up as Mrs Buffalo Bill. There is some action which doesn’t translate that well (although one scene does – Hickock and Jane being captured by the Indians); but the relationship between Hickok and Jane puts this over the line.
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