GamerTab That was an excellent one.

Libramedi Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

Teringer An Exercise In Nonsense

Leoni Haney Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

John T. Ryan HAVING SUCCESS IN such costumers as CAPTAIN BLOOD and THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, the brass at Warner Brothers decided to give Mr. Errol Flynn a temporary new address. Instead of the High Seas or Sherwood Forest, we have the heroics performed in the Old West.BEING THAT THIS was a ground breaker for both Mr. Flynn, as well as the Studio, the trappings were superb; having spared no expenses. Technicolor was pressed into service; its first use at Warner Brothers having been applied in the previous years ROBIN HOOD (also a Flynn-Olivia De Haviland co-starring vehicle).IN THE "CHAIR" we have the very stylish, former documentary making Director, Michael Curtiz. Being the same guy who would ultimately deliver CASABLANCA (Warner Brothers, 1942), there were certain similarities in storytelling and photography in evidence. The use of crowds, the way in which one scene dissolves into the next and the method of spotlighting the main characters are testimony of what we are talking about.ONE PARTICULAR DRAMATIC device stands out in particular.IT IS THE Director's use of opposed and highly disparate groups being engaged in some bar room group singing is one ploy that Curtiz used more than once. Let us explain further.IT IS IN the mid-point of DODGE CITY that we see a stage show being performed with lead singer, Ruby Gilman (Anne Sheridan) is belting out "Marching Through Georgia"; which is joined in by about half of the saloon patrons, the Yankees. The other faction, the guys who are with Errol's cattle drive from Texas, is comprised of former Confederates. The Southerners counter with their rendition of "Dixie": which wins the vocal skirmish, and at least compensates, in a small measure, for the surrender at Appomatix Courthouse.NOW, ABOUT THREE years later, Mr. Curtiz inserts a similar scene into Rick's Cafe Americaine in CASABLANCA, where the Nazi Germans are singing "Watch on the Rhine" and Laszlo (Paul Henreid) organizes the French Patrons in "La Marsiellies".SO WE HAVE the same "Gag" with a different spin.WITH THE RELEASE and the resulting success of DODGE CITY, Jack Warner & Company had given the world a multi-faceted Errol Flynn; being Swashbuckler, Western Hero, War Herro and Dramatic Actor.CLEVER, THESE Americans-right, Schultz?

FightingWesterner In the lawless town of Dodge City, Errol Flynn stands up to murderous cattle boss Bruce Cabot and refuses to sell him his livestock. Soon he's the new sheriff and dead set on cleaning up the town, including Cabot and his cronies.One's degree of enjoyment is entirely dependent on how much the viewer buys the casting of Flynn as a rough and tumble western hero. In my opinion, he was certainly handsome and charismatic but not entirely credible. I spent the whole movie trying to figure out what accent he was using! Still, I enjoyed the movie enough to recommend it.Alan Hale and Guinn "Big Boy" Williams were great and stole nearly every scene they were in. The best part of the movie was the much ballyhoo'd saloon scene where Big Boy pretty much incites a riot!

bobsgrock No action star and very few actors in general can come close to being as big a star or fine an actor as Errol Flynn, that swashbuckling hero of so many classic films of the studio days. Indeed, everyone from Vin Diesel to Jason Statham seems to take a page out of his book and watching Flynn's films only makes you appreciate even more his talent.Here, Flynn takes charge in a Western as sheriff of a seedy cattle town in dusty Kansas as he attempts to overthrow the corrupt cattle buyers that also run the town of Dodge City. At his side are his friends from the cattle drive, Rusty (Alan Hale) and Tex (Guinn Williams). Bruce Cabot is good as the antagonist Jeff Surett, but these kind of films are thin on plot and strong on lavish sets, costumes, and romance.To provide that romance, we have the dashing Sheriff Wade Hatton and the lovely but stubborn Abbie Irving, played by the remarkably warm and beautiful Olivia de Havilland. She and Flynn made 9 films together, and it is obvious that they had chemistry as well as the ability to give us characters of people that we care about and want to see together. There may never be another movie couple like they. As for weaknesses, the story lags a bit in the middle, but it can be forgotten after watching an exciting climax featuring Flynn shooting it out on a burning train.This film reminded me a lot of My Darling Clementine, the John Ford film from a few years later starring Henry Fonda. This isn't as strong, but it's more fun and a joyous ride all the way through. Flynn shows here what a charismatic and charming actor he was and it is a shame there will never be another like him.

Michael_Elliott Dodge City (1939) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Former trailboss Wade Hatton (Errol Flynn) takes the Sheriff job in Dodge City to clean the town up, which includes taking care of the top bad guy (Bruce Cabot). This is only my third Flynn film and so far this is probably my favorite performance from him. Once again the energy he brings to every scene is truly remarkable. Just the way he walks seems to light the screen up. Olivia de Havilland is also good in her role as is Cabot, Frank McHugh and Henry Travers. Director Michael Curtiz adds energy to every scene and handles the brawl fight, the best I've seen, very well. The Technicolor looks terrific especially the fire on the train at the end. The outcome of the little boy was also nice to see considering how out of the ordinary it is.