Lone Star (1952)

Release Date: February 8,1952
Directed by: Vincent Sherman
Studio: MGM

Costarring:
Ava Gardner
Broderick Crawford

Available on DVD through The Warner Brothers Archive Collection

DearMrGable.com’s Movie of the Month, September 2014

Nutshell Review, March 2014

10th Anniversary Celebration Movie of the Week, March 25, 2019

In this semi-factual historical western, Gable is Devereaux Burke, a cattle baron enlisted by President Andrew Jackson (Barrymore) in 1845 to help convince Texas to become part of the United States. Gable encounters newspaperwoman Martha Ronda (Gardner) and her beau, Senator Thomas Craden (Crawford) who want Texas to become its own republic. Devereaux and Martha soon fall in love despite their differing opinions and he prepares for a final showdown with Craden.

Lone Star theme

[mp3j track=”http://dearmrgable.com/LoneStar.mp3″]

 

Ava Gardner singing “Moonlight was Made for Lovers”

[mp3j track=”http://dearmrgable.com/Moonlight.mp3″]

 

Reviews

Modern Screen magazine, April 1952:

Gable’s still The King. In “Lone Star,” a Western recalling the turbulent days before Texas joined the Union, Gable looks trimmer, rides faster, fights harder, shoots straighter and makes love smoother than most of the boys who have come along in those 20 years since he took the throne in Hollywood. “Lone Star” is solid, fast action fare, with Gable punching away against Broderick Crawford for the heart of Ava Gardner as well as the destiny of Texas. Crawford, a selfish, power-seeking politico, has everything to gain by keeping Texas an independent nation but Gable, an agent of Andrew Jackson, maneuvers successfully to bring her into the Union. The political wrangling never grows too burdensome in “Lone Star;” there are always Comanche Indians or Crawford and his stooges to whoop it up in fisticuffs with Gable. And though Ava is at first ardently on Crawford’s side in love and politics, time and Gable change all that, bringing about two unions–Texas with the USA, and Gardner with Gable. It is worth noting that Ava looks dazzling and is a credit to Texas, whatever side she is on.

Photoplay magazine, April 1952:

Texas, suh. And a cast as big and powerful as the state itself, with Clark Gable as the manly hero. Ava Gardner the beauteous heroine, and Broderick Crawford the ambitious villain. According to MGM these three play actual characters who were instrumental in Texas coming into the Union. Gable–rough, ready and a bit of a racketeer–was all for it. Crawford, just as rugged, was selfishly against it. Wavering this way and that was Ava, the newspaper publisher they both loved. And, like a lot of things Texan, when the story threatened to bog down, the men put up their dukes and fought things out. The arrival of Sam Houston at a bloody, crucial moment provides quite a lusty climax. Also in the cast are Lionel Barrymore, Beulah Bondi and James Burke.

 

Quote-able Gable

“Am I late, Minnie?” first line

“If I want to risk my neck again, I want to come out of it with something more than glory!”

“Why Minnie, did you ever know me not to get someplace where a beautiful lady is waiting for me?”

“It’s convenient to have a woman you can take for granted. Not very exciting but convenient. I’ve never been that lucky.”

“I’ve always had a wandering foot. This is the first time I’ve ever wanted a woman…hear me out–this is the first time in my life I’ve ever wanted a woman to be my wife!”

“He might be faster than I and I can’t afford to die tonight!”

“Why pretend the truth isn’t the truth? I’ve known every since that night on the patio. You’ll never kiss another man like that. Some women might, but not you.”

“You’re a strange woman. But still a lot of woman.”

“Give that flag to a man big enough to carry it!” last line

Behind the Scenes

Gable started production on this film soon after asking his fourth wife Sylvia for a divorce.

Director Vincent Sherman later recalled that they all realized the film was awful during production, but being their assignment, got through it anyway without much gusto. Broderick Crawford was in a drunken stupor throughout filming and Gable and Gardner were just “showing up, reading lines and going home,” recalled Sherman.

The last film of the legendary Lionel Barrymore, who was wheelchair- bound. Sherman and Gable both convinced him to take the small role of President Andrew Jackson.