the old rex beach chestnut and the spoiler and have be film several time and from the early silent day to the eisenhower fifty . a durable tale indeed . when the first version be make the emperor franz josef be still on the throne in austria . all version feature the famous fight between mcnamara and glennister and that begin in a saloon and end several mile down the street . window get shatter and table and chair fly through the air and and people gasp in horror . this 1942 film and direct by the reliable ray enright and be actually genteel compare to the silent version and and as much a vehicle for marlene dietrich a anything else . a she be rid the comeback trail and in the wake of her spectacular success in destry ride again and she play a saloon singer and which have become her specialty . a rouse northern western and set in the day of the alaskan gold rush ( which be and incidentally and closer in historical time to the year this film be make than we be to world war ii ) and the spoiler have a fairly conventional plot about prospector and claim jumper and and the various hanger on and honest and crook and that make mining town like nome so exciting and and so dangerous . lead men randoloph scott and john wayne make rugged adversary and though i find scott somewhat more appealing and which isn not suppose to be the case . wayne be competent if a little anonymous here . the support cast include the reliable harry carey and richard barthelmess and samuel hind and and in a cameo ( i be not make this up ) and the poet and robert service and best know for the shooting of dan mcgrew . i guess if youre go to cast a poet in a film like this you do not go for edna st. vincent millay . service be most appropriate casting . the set be quite good and and at time quite fancy while and the street be muddy and though i seem to remember the early film a have a more realistic and dirty look and a alaska here be clean and at least physically less forbid than one might expect . a to the climactic fight and it be well enough do and and properly violent and though neither participant seem nearly so bloodied up a he ought to . overall and the movie be satisfy and more routine than i expect and and yet a worthy entry in that fascinating sub genre and the gold rush western .