a5c7b9f00b Ex-President Andrew Jackson sends Texan Devereaux Burke back home on a mission to facilitate Sam Houston's drive for U.S. statehood.
Rip-roaring big star, big budget semi-historical story about cattle baron Devereaux Burke, who is enlisted by an aging Andrew Jackson to dissuade Sam Houston from establishing Texas as a republic. Burke must fight state senator Thomas Craden, in the process winning the heart of Craden's newspaper-editor girlfriend Martha Ronda.
A movie set in 1845 Texas that deals with Texas either joining the union or going off and becoming an independent republic. Lionel Barrymore plays Andrew Jackson is who for joining the union and so is Clark Gable. Broderick Crawford and Ava Gardner want Texas to become an independent and Crawford wants to be the leader. Both sides are waiting for what Sam Huston has to say, but he is out helping the Indians form a peace treaty. Crawford is willing to do anything to get what he wants and Gardner begins to fall for Gable. At the end, of course, there is a big battle between Gable and Crawford's army and then a fight between the two of them. Clark Gable is the same as always and Broderick Crawford is miscast in this role. Ava Gardner is only OK and Lionel Barrymore is only in two scenes.
I can't believe all the great stars in this movie. Beulah Bondi, Lionel Barrymore (lookin' like hell), Broderick Crawford, William Conrad (playing a Frenchman) and Clark Gable. I hope I look that good when I'm 50. It's before he became the caricature of himself that he became in later movies. When he puts on his "Clark Gable face," I just cringe. I don't know what it is about Ava, but I can't bear to watch her. She doesn't gnaw on the scenery in this one, so, it's better than, say, Mogambo, or The Hucksters, but still. I think it's my loyalty to Frank Sinatra. <br/><br/>It's a lovely movie and I really wish it was filmed in color. Does anyone know where this was filmed?