Well acted little western about a smooth talking con man named "Candyman" Johnson(perfectly played by the always dapper and charming Clark Gable who has never been better)who wishes "to take over" a town of his own and finds one in Yellow Creek. He's head-over-heels for Elizabeth(Lana Turner, her beauty is angelic), a Boston girl who is the daughter of a former con man he once knew and now the judge of Yellow Creek(justice of the peace, played by a wonderful Frank Morgan). The Judge is a bad drunk who doesn't like it all that his daughter is so in love with a trickster who has the uncanny ability to never find a way to stay in any town too long. Claire Trevor has a marvelous scene-stealing supporting part(it seems she's always in these parts, owning the scenes she's in)as a former "colleague" of Candy's who is a professional bar girl always working the gambling tables. Marjorie Main has an entertaining supporting role(another character actress who always steals her scenes)as Mrs. Varner, a woman who was to teach Liz about the ways of being a proper woman(cooking and such). Varner often is quite a fixture in town business whose voice is often heard loud over the others. Albert Dekker is Brazos, the corrupt sheriff of Yellow Creek who is automatically the arch nemesis of Candy's when it becomes clear that our con man has worked the town against their current "lawman"(it's stated by one of the townsfolk that Brazos just put the star on one day and began barking orders). Liz wants Candy to change and boozes him up so that when he wakes, he'll find that they are married. The film's melodrama stems from this unusual courtship and the different ways Liz changes instead of Candy. Bottom line is that Candy is intoxicated by Candy and can not resist his charms. What we later find, as corruption seethes within Yellow Creek as Candy is voted in as sheriff when Brazos is dropped like a bad habit, is that Candy's life has changed in that he loves Liz, but his taking from the town certain profits(60% of the town's earnings seem to fall into his pocket and buy lots of nice outfits for Liz and a nice fancy place to live)will soon upend him. And, the drinking judge hates Candy enough he'll try to use documents of the con man's corruption against him as the town grows restless at what their lawman has swindled them out of.
The film starts out really entertaining with great dialogue as Gable works his charm on everyone around him. Seeing Gable work tricks on unsuspected victims like Dekker's Brazos and the townsfolk with fancy words is also a hoot. Eventually, though, the melodrama is laid on a bit thick and the film bogs down towards the end. Still, the film has such an amazing cast with good leads it's hard not to recommend to western fans.
The film starts out really entertaining with great dialogue as Gable works his charm on everyone around him. Seeing Gable work tricks on unsuspected victims like Dekker's Brazos and the townsfolk with fancy words is also a hoot. Eventually, though, the melodrama is laid on a bit thick and the film bogs down towards the end. Still, the film has such an amazing cast with good leads it's hard not to recommend to western fans.