Henry Fonda

Dorothy Lamour

Linda Darnell

Guy Kibbee

Jane Darwell

John Carradine

Ted North

Roscoe Ates

Ben Carter

Frank M. Thomas

Olin Howland

Frank Conlan

Eddie Conrad

Edward McWade

Edward Mundy

George Davis

Paul E. Burns

Sarah Padden

Leonard St. Leo

Elizabeth Abbott

Tully Marshall

Virginia Brissac

Si Jenks

Victor Kilian

Louis Mason

Rondo Hatton

Herbert Ashley

Ora May Carlson

Dick Gilbert

Payne B. Johnson

Nelson McDowell

Clarence Muse

James Pierce

Dick Rich

Allen D. Sewall

Paul Sutton

Harry Tenbrook

Maxine Tucker

Blackie Whiteford

Henry King

Walter D. Edmonds

Nunnally Johnson

Ray Rennahan

Barbara McLean

Richard Day

Thomas Little

Travis Banton

Darryl F. Zanuck

Ernest Palmer

Romance

Drama

History

Chad Hanna

20th Century Fox

United States of America

CinemaSerf

Henry Fonda is adequate but really nothing more in this story of a 19th century love triangle. He is a young and naive erstwhile stable-lad who joins the travelling circus community and pretty immediately falls for "Albany" (Dorothy Lamour). She is feisty and determined - she is the fearless horseback rider after all. Things become more complicated for him, though, when he takes a shine to an elephant and hops big tops. That's when he encounters "Caroline" (Linda Darnell) - a familiar face from his youth and from here on in this film slips, effortlessly, into the realms of romantic melodrama - and becomes really all rather predictable. There are a few characterful contributions from John Carradine's rabble-rousing ("Bisbee") and Jane Darwell as his long suffering wife, but after a lively start that demonstrates some of the considerable skills on display for a very appreciative public, this all just drifts into mediocrity and though kills ninety minutes without difficulty, is all pretty wordy and unremarkable. The photography captures something of the excitement of the arena when it is given a chance by Henry King, Otherwise - Hmmm!

English