Lone Star *** (1952, Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, Lionel Barrymore, Broderick Crawford) – Classic Movie Review 5,145

The 1952 large-scale Western film Lone Star stars Clark Gable and Ava Gardner, and is set against Texas’s battle to be independent. Ava said: ‘Clark, you do realise that this dog of a movie we are making is a pile of s**t?’

Director Vincent Sherman’s 1952 large-scale American Western film Lone Star is written by Borden Chase, based on a screen story by Howard Estabrook. and set against Texas’s battle to be independent. Any film with Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, Lionel Barrymore and Broderick Crawford must be petty much worth its weight in gold.

Clark Gable, Broderick Crawford and Ava Gardner are typecast as the Texas cattle baron hero Devereaux Burke, the state senator villain Thomas Craden, and the lovely lady in the middle, Austin newspaper editor Martha Ronda, Craden’s girlfriend. But it is Lionel Barrymore who is the film’s hit turn as grumpy old ex-President Andrew Jackson and Moroni Olsen scores strongly too in support as Sam Houston. In the story, Jackson enlists Burke to dissuade Houston from establishing Texas as a republic, bringing Burke up against Craden.

MGM’s movie, stylishly shot in black and white by Harold Rosson, is good but not particularly special or memorable. Even if it is not quite the rousing, rip-roaring movie that is advertised, the big stars, fine character actors and MGM’s costly sets and designs count for a lot. And, at least, with the busy mix of political intrigue, love story, semi-historical drama and Western action all unfolding in 94 minutes, it certainly deserves more than a lone star in the rating.

Also in the enormous cast are Ed Begley, Beulah Bondi, Harry Woods, Nacho Galindo, Chief Nipo Strongheart, William Conrad, Lowell Gilmore, William Farnum, Russell Simpson, James Burke, Ralph Reed, Ric Roman, Victor Sutherland, Jonathan Cott, and Emmett Lynn, as well as many others.

It is also the first (uncredited) screen appearance by a 13-year-old George Hamilton, playing President Andrew Jackson’s servant.

It was Barrymore’s last movie, having previously played Andrew Jackson in The Gorgeous Hussy (1936).

Early one morning on location Clark Gable joined Ava Gardner on set for a cup of coffee. They had been pals from her early days at MGM. They greeted each other and then Ava said: ‘Clark… you do realise that this dog of a movie we are making is a pile of s**t?’ He agreed with her and settled in for a chat.

But it was popular and another nice little earner for MGM. The film cost $1.6 million and earned a worldwide total of $3.9 million, resulting in a declared profit of $990,000.

Lone Star runs 94 minutes, is made by MGM, is released by Loew’s Inc, is written by Borden Chase (screenplay), based on a screen story by Howard Estabrook, is produced by Z Wayne Griffin, is scored by David Buttolph, and is designed by Cedric Gibbons and Hans Peters.

Release date: February 8, 1952.

The 1996 film Lone Star with Chris Cooper is unrelated.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5,145

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