King Vidor must have had a lot of prestige to get this through MGM - it cost millions. I'm sure he pitched it well "it's about industry! Immigrants! America!" It's so dull.
Metro stumped up for colour - pointless, it may as well have been black and white. What's the story... immigrant arrives. Works in mine. Works in steel. Builds cars. Along way marries nice woman. Has children. Becomes rich car manufacturer. One son dies in World War One. Another gets married. Another works for his dad, becomes involved in the union.
The union conflict at the end is the most interesting thing about the film because this was made by MGM but Vidor was a little more progressive and it's wartime. Also the son gets involved in the union so there's drama.
There's no drama in the marriage - no conflict. Or with the immigrant's best friend. Why not a love triangle? Why not have the guy driven? Why not have some drama, King? Because the way was on.
Vidor blamed the leads - and it's true that if his original choices, Spencer Tracy, Joseph Cotten and Ingrid Bergman had been in it, it would at least have had some star power. But instead he's got - how's this for B list - Brian Donlevy, Ann Richards and Walter Abel. Richards was really pretty but is devoid of sex or spark here she's just nice. It's not very good work. Abel is fine, just lacking charisma - why not cast some young spunk? Donlevy's performance is dreadul with his immigrant accent and dumb acting. He was a second lead, not a lead. It's painful to watch.
The film needed a big injection of soap. Richards was with his best friend who died of an accident. He raised other people's kids. He has daughters who root around.
This is like a Dore Schary movie made by MGM before Schary went to MGM.
Vidor whinged about the half hour taken out of it. He's lucky it wasn't more. But the cuts don't really help, just shorten it. It was two and a half hours and they made it two!
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