High, Wide and Handsome *** (1937, Irene Dunne, Randolph Scott, Dorothy Lamour) – Classic Movie Review 9096

Director Rouben Mamoulian’s 1937 film High, Wide and Handsome is a high-spirited and handsome but only moderate musical Western from the Paramount Pictures studio, which at least had the good sense to convene the best talent of the day to bring it to the screen, including director Mamoulian and Show Boat’s composers Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II.

The problem is Hammerstein’s poor story about circus performer Sally Watterson (Irene Dunne) who weds farmer-oilman Peter Cortlandt (Randolph Scott) and (in the film’s best sequence) gets the acrobats and big-top animals to help him when he is attacked by railroaders, led by wicked tycoon Walt Brennan (Alan Hale Sr), who want to grab the land for the railway.

Mamoulian’s imaginative direction gives it a needed breath of life, it looks a treat shot in black and white by Victor Milner. and Dunne, Scott and Dorothy Lamour are highly appealing. But it is mostly memorable for the wonderful ‘The Folks Who Live on the Hill’ (sung by Irene Dunne), which leads a parade of six splendid Hammerstein-Kern evergreen tunes, including ‘Can I Forget You?’ (sung by Irene Dunne) and the title song High, Wide and Handsome (sung by Irene Dunne). Will You Marry Me Tomorrow, Maria? is sung by William Frawley, The Things I Want is sung by Dorothy Lamour and Allegheny Al is sung by Irene Dunne and Dorothy Lamour.

Also in the cast are, Elizabeth Patterson, Raymond Walburn, Charles Bickford, Alan Hale, Akim Tamiroff, William Frawley, Ben Blue, Irving Pichel, Lucien Littlefield, Stanley Andrews, James Burke, Roger Imhof, Edward Gargan, Purnell Pratt, Billy Bletcher, Monte Blue, Olympe Bradna, Tommy Bupp, Louise Carver, Jack Clifford, Sherry Hall, Dell Henderson, Russell Hopton, Edward Keane, Lew Kelly, Paul Kruger, John Marshall, Ivan Miller, Philip Morris, Rolfe Sedan, Harry Semels, Frank Shannon, Frank Sully, Dorothy Vernon, Fred Warren, Pat West, Ernest Wood, Claire McDowell, Helen Lowell ans John M Sullivan.

High, Wide and Handsome is directed by Rouben Mamoulian, runs 111 minutes, is made and released by Paramount Pictures, is written by Oscar Hammerstein II and George O’Neil, is shot in black and white by Victor Milner and Theodor Sparkuhl, produced by Arthur Hornblow Jr, scored by Bernard Kaun and Boris Morros, written by Jerome Kern (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics), designed by Hans Dreier and John B Goodman, and choreographed by LeRoy Prinz.

It was shot outdoors between 6 January 1937 and May 1937 on location at Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California; and Chino, California; and in the studio at Paramount Studios, 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles for the interiors.

Years later, in 1957, Randolph Scott gets called High, Wide and Handsome in Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend (1957).

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9096

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