Jane Russell and Jeff Chandler should make a better team than they do - both big, bold, vaguely unrealistic screen types - but they underwhelm in this film. To be fair, it's a poor film though you can see what Universal were going for. It's a "woman's picture" with society girl Jane Russell marrying tough mining engineer Chandler and finding it a bit challenging.
Problem is the film doesn't exploit that basic situation - we don't really get much of a sense where Russell came from (cf Elizabeth Taylor's character in Giant got set up scenes establishing her world). Russell feels a bit miscast too - she so obviously belongs in a rough tough world you're not surprised by her triumph.
The film badly lacks a villain and threats to the relationship. There is dusky maiden Mara Corday and drunken idiot Dan Duryea but neither are a real threat. Chandler is so obviously more charismatic than drunken Duryea the film is weakened - the film needed to make this character a sophisticate and cast George Nader or someone.
The plot about finding a mine is so tired and unexciting - no decent flood or cave in. It's mostly Chandler being a proud aresehole - that's where they get the drama from. I didn't want this couple to make it. I really didn't like this film at all.
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