UNION DEPOT (1932)

Wow.  This was a interesting picture.  Released a few months before the film version of GRAND HOTEL, but with a similar theme: set entirely in and around a central location the story revolves around the employees/visitors and all their various interactions.  There's even a 'bad guy" with a heart of gold that sacrifices himself for love.

Opening with an very impressive crane shot, UNION DEPOT is set in an unnamed metropolitan train depot.  It's busy and busting at the seams with interesting characters.  At first we get a stream of short tidbits introducing various people and giving us a feel of the joint.  Finally the action centers in on a dashing hobo (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) who, along with his buddy (Guy Kibbee), steal an employees uniform in an attempt to get some food.  Stuff happens and next thing you know Fairbanks has himself in the possession of a ton of cash!  Around the same time his kind heart/horniness gets the best of him when he spots a sad looking Joan Blondell who he mistakes as a prostitute! 

Alan Hale as a gun toting bad guy, George Rosener as a massive pervert, two women kissing, some dangerous looking train stunts, a quick pace, numerous lesser known actors, Joan Blondell getting slapped, talk of promiscuous sex and a story that comes off as surprisingly pessimistic.  UNION DEPOT isn't for everybody, but I think fans of classic Hollywood, especially Pre-Code Hollywood, will get a kick out of it.

MY DARLING CLEMENTINE (1946)

By the time MY DARLING CLEMENTINE came out Henry Fonda had been off the silver screen for nearly four years due to his military service during WWII.  I don't know if he was worried about if he still had it or not, but if he did he worried for nothing because he's still as great as always.

The story, while not even close to being historically accurate, is about Wyatt Earp (Fonda) and his three brothers moving some cattle through Arizona.  When they get close to Tombstone a man (Walter Brennan as the head of the infamous Clanton clan) offers to buy the cattle for a dirt cheap price.  Fonda turns him down.  Later that night Fonda and two of his brothers go into Tombstone for a shave and a bath while leaving the fourth brother to watch the herd.  Things happen and when they get back to camp the cattle is gone and the brother is dead.  Fonda swears to avenge his brother and accepts the job as sheriff of Tombstone.

Tombstone is a wide-open town full of bars and drunks who love nothing more than gettin' their blast on.  One of the most deadly gunfighters is a power-drinker by the name of Doc Holliday (Victor Mature).  Holliday is doted on by feisty dancehall girl Linda Darnell and things get even more feisty when Holliday's ex-fiancee shows up looking for him.  And Fonda though he had his hands full with the Clanton boys!

John Ford might rightfully be remembered for his pioneering Western films, but if you look at his filmography in the 20 years leading up to MY DARLING CLEMENTINE he'd only made two Western films.  One of those being STAGECOACH seven years earlier.  What does that mean?  I don't know, probably nothing, I just thought it was interesting. 

Great cast, beautiful photography, Ward Bond snorting like a horse at Linda Darnell, highly fictionalized (and highly entertaining) story and best of all: seeing Walter Brennan play a bad guy.  How awesome is that?!