Boom Town (1940)
- Starring:
- Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, (more)
- Director(s):
- Jack Conway
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- NR
- Format(s):
- DVD
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Synopsis of Boom Town
Clark Gable is "Big John" and Spencer Tracy is "Square John"; both "Johns" seek their fortunes in the Texas oil fields. They simultaneously fall in love with Claudette Colbert, but it's "Big John" who wins out. When both Johns grow rich on oil, "Big John" lets money go to his head, and he begins neglecting wife Colbert for Hedy Lamarr, the "been around" companion of businessman Lionel Atwill. "Square John", who still carries a torch for Colbert but doesn't want to see her heart broken, tries to buy off Lamarr; when this fails, he decides to ruin "Big John" financially. But when "Big John" is charged with violating anti-trust rules by the crooked Atwill, "Square John" rushes to the side of his old pal. Both men end up where they started--broke but happy. "Big John" returns to faithful Colbert, while "Square John" stands by with an ear-to-ear grin. Boom Town was the last film to co-star Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy; though Tracy was fond of Gable, he resented playing "eunuch" in their on-screen romantic triangles. Claudette Colbert's scenes with Clark Gable are pleasant enough, but the sparks that had ignited their scenes in It Happened One Night are largely absent here. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 119 mins
Complete Cast of Boom Town
- Clark Gable - Big John McMasters
- Claudette Colbert - Betsy Bartlett
- Frank Morgan - Luther Aldrich
- Chill Wills - Harmony Jones
- Minna Gombell - Spanish Eva
- Horace Murphy - Tom Murphy
- Richard Lane - Assistant District Attorney
- Baby Quintanilla - Baby Jack
- Sara Haden - Miss Barnes
- Frank McGlynn, Sr. - Deacon
- Dick Curtis - Hiring boss
- Spencer Tracy - Square John Sand
- Hedy Lamarr - Karen Vanmeer
- Lionel Atwill - Harry Compton
- Marion Martin - Whitey
- Joe Yule - Ed Murphy
- Roy Gordon - McCreery
- Casey Johnson - Little Jack
- George Lessey - Judge
- Frank Orth - Barber
- Curt Bois - Ferdie
- Director(s):
- Jack Conway
- Writer(s):
- John Lee Mahin
- Producer(s):
- Sam Zimbalist
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- NR(Suitable for Children)
- 1940 - Film Daily - 10 Best Films
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