#243. They Drive by Night (1940)

 

 

A.K.A. The Road to Frisco

 

Bit of an interesting structure to this one. The opening half is centered around two brothers who transport goods across the country, avoid loan sharks, and try to work on their home lives. But then, a good chunk of the way through, we're suddenly introduced to a trucking business owner and his wife, the latter of whom basically becomes the main character once she decides to go after one of the brothers. 

 

Much like this wife character, the movie is arguably guilty of wanting to have its cake and eat it too. The pair of storylines don't have a whole lot in common on a character or thematic level (though I guess they both reflect the dangers of this lifestyle), the tone is kind of all over the place, and certain aspects of the story - particularly Bogart's subplot - fall a bit by the wayside.

 

In all honesty, though, I don't really consider this stuff to be actively detrimental. On the contrary, I actually think they keep the energy fresh, the pacing lively, and the plot unpredictable. And between the sharp writing, Raoul Walsh's solid workmanship, and Ida Lupino's compellingly maniacal performance, the movie not only manages to maintain its momentum, but kicks into an even higher gear once we reach the third act.

 

Grade: A-

#173. Gentleman Jim (1942)

 

 

Boxing movies tend to be either dark and depressing melodramas or high-stakes underdog stories, so it's kinda refreshing to see one that's so laid-back and easygoing, while still being full of life.

 

Much of that can be credited to the lighthearted, almost screwball nature of the screenplay, as well as Raoul Walsh's sturdy-yet-dynamic direction (both the bouts and the montages have some genuine energy to them), but the key ingredient here is clearly our leading man. I'm told that this was one of Errol Flynn's favourite roles, and you can easily see why. It plays to all of his strengths: charm, wit, physicality, attractiveness. Jim's a cocky fella, but Flynn plays it off so effortlessly and charmingly that you're always in his corner.

 

As much as I liked the buoyancy of this one, though, I have to admit that I found the narrative only occasionally gripping. What few subplots there are grew kinda repetitive to me after a while (it doesn't exactly help that the conflicts and arcs are so basic), and I think the movie largely runs out of steam before we get to the final fight. Fortunately, that belt scene wraps everything up quite nicely, while also providing some necessary heart.

 

Grade: B+