In 1934, Fox, director John Ford and comedian Will Rogers achieved great success with the comedy Judge Priest, set in the 1890s US South. Seeking to replicate this triumph, they turned to another comedy set in the same era, Steamboat Round the Bend. Tragically, shortly after production ended, Will Rogers, America's most beloved entertainer, met his demise in a fatal air accident during a tour in Alaska. This devastating event cast a pall over the release of Steamboat Round the Bend, contributing to its relatively poor initial reception among audiences and subsequent negative reputation among critics and film historians.
The film was based on the 1933 novel by Ben Lucien Burman. The plot centres on a paddle wheeler on the Mississippi River in the 1890s. Will Rogers plays snake oil salesman Dr. John Pearly, who wants to buy a large boat to take part in a major river race. The ship is to be piloted by his nephew, Duke (played by John McGuire), but the young man gets into trouble after killing a man in self-defence. The cause of the altercation is Fleety Belle (played by Anne Shirley), a young woman whom he had rescued from her violent swamp-dwelling family and who joins Pearly on his boat. Duke is told to surrender, which he does, only to be found guilty of murder and sentenced to hang. Pearly and Fleety Belle must now find New Moses (played by Berton Churchill), a charismatic preacher who appears to be the only witness who might confirm Duke’s story and thus save his life.
While the film's poor reputation has little to do with the actual quality of what is delivered on screen, the presence of Stepin Fetchit, an African American actor who later became notorious as a symbol of 1930s racial stereotypes in his characters, has undoubtedly contributed to the film’s negative legacy. Director John Ford, however, demonstrates his technical prowess, convincingly reconstructing the Mississippi River setting on the San Joaquin River in California and utilising authentic 19th-century paddle wheelers. The final boat race scene, blending action, comedy, and melodrama reminiscent of D.W. Griffith, is suspenseful, though it appears a bit rough around the edges. The relatively abrupt ending also leaves some viewers wanting more closure.
Despite these flaws, Steamboat Round the Bend is quite a solid film that provides an acceptable level of entertainment, particularly for fans of Classic Hollywood cinema. The script successfully weaves together elements of nostalgia, social and historical commentary, sentimentality, and abundant humour. Will Rogers's charismatic performance carries the film, as he portrays a character whose questionable means of earning a living are balanced by his good-natured heart. However, the real discovery of the film is Anne Shirley, whose portrayal of the spunky and rebellious Fleety Belle rises above the traditional eye-candy role, almost achieving a feminist sensibility. The supporting cast, composed of dependable character actors, delivers strong performances, with a notable cameo by Will Rogers's friend, the popular humorist Irvin S. Cobb, as the rival boat captain.
While the film may not have achieved the same level of success as Judge Priest, it remains a worthy entry in the canon of Classic Hollywood, offering a blend of entertainment, social commentary, and memorable performances, despite the shadow cast by the tragic loss of its lead star.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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