The Woman of the Town *** (1943, Albert Dekker, Claire Trevor, Barry Sullivan) – Classic Movie Review 10,329

Esteemed character actor Albert Dekker lands a rare star role as Bat Masterson… 

Director George Archainbaud’s 1943 The Woman of the Town stars Albert Dekker as the famous Western hero, gunslinger Bat Masterson, who has to protect the Kansas town of Dodge City from bad cattle baron King Kennedy (Barry Sullivan) and win the love of show-gal Dora Hand (Claire Trevor). Dora, caught in a love triangle between the two men, encourages Masterson to give up gunfighting and become a journalist, and he becomes a respected New York newspaperman.

Woman of the Town offers bags of action and entertainment with barely a pause for breath, based on real-life characters and situations, heavily disguised as story drama. The stars and lots of good character actors help to make it work very nicely.

The film begins with Masterson as an elderly newspaperman in New York City around 1919 telling his story in flashback to a young aspiring reporter, the later infamous gossip columnist Louella Parsons (played by Beryl Wallace), who in real life idolised him.

A Sherman Action Special, it is one of 21 movies produced by Paramount and released under a deal by product-starved United Artists. It is written by Æneas MacKenzie, based on the story by Norman Houston.

Claire Trevor performs ‘I’m a Heavy Tipper’ and ‘Poor Polly’, both Music by Lester Lee and Lyrics by Jerry Seelen.

Miklós Rózsa was Oscar nominated for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture.

Also in the cast are Henry Hull, Marion Martin, Porter Hall, Percy Kilbride, Beryl Wallace, Arthur Hohl, Clem Bevans, Teddi Sherman, George Cleveland, Russell Hicks, Herbert Rawlinson, Dorothy Grainger, Glenn Strange, Dewey Robinson, Charley Foy, Wade Crosby, Hal Taliaferro, Claire Whitney, Marlene Mains, Eula Guy, Frances Morris and Russell Simpson.

The Woman of the Town is directed by George Archainbaud, runs 90 minutes, is made by Harry Sherman Productions, is released by United Artists, is written by Æneas MacKenzie, based on the story by Norman Houston, is shot in black and white by Russell Harlan, is produced by Harry Sherman and Lewis J Rachmil (associate producer), is scored by Miklós Rózsa and is designed by Ralph Berger.

It is shot in the Paramount Studios, 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood.

Dekker’s other star role is in Dr Cyclops. (1940).

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,329

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