简介：Sorrybutdespitethefactthatthe1931versionofthisnovelwastheonlywesternfilmtowinanAcademyAwardforBestPictureitdoesnotcomparetotheentertainmentvalueofthisversion.TruethisisperhapsnotthebestadaptationofMs.Ferber'snovel,butthenhowmanyfilmsareperfectadaptationsoftheirsourcematerial.Therearewonderfulscenesmissingfromthisadaptation,butthentherearewonderfulscenesmissingfromtheadaptationofGWTW.No,IamnotcomparingthistoaclassiclikeGWTW.Butthe'31versionisnotinthesameclassasGWTWeither.Thisfilmshouldbetakenforwhatitactuallyis,agoodsolidepicentertainmentwithspectacularscenesandgoodperformances.GlennFordisperfectcastingforYancy.Hisperformanceisfarsuperiortothatoftheoverripe,stiltedscenerychewingonedeliveredbyRichardDixintheoriginal.Ford'sboyishmannereasilycapturesthecharmingimmaturenatureofthecharacter.MariaSchellisonaparwithIreneDunne.ItisapityhercharacterwasrewrittenfromthenoveltobeweakerthanFerberintended.ThiswasobviouslydonetomakethefilmFord'sbutshe'sstillgivesaperformancethatisonthemoney.Assodothemyriadsupportingplayersinthefilm.Backin1960,MGMobviouslyneededabigmovietomoveintothetheatersthathadbeenplaying"Ben-Hur"foroverayear.Sothisproductionwasrushedtocompletiontofitthebill.ThefactthatitwasshotinCinemascopeinsteadofa"Big"70mmprocessisevidenceofthis.Ithasbeenwrittenthattheproductionwasshutdownbeforethescriptedendingcouldbefilmed.Thisexplainstheratherabruptandsomewhatawkwardendtothefilm.Perhapsaregularnon"Roadshow"releasemighthavefaredbetterbothwiththecriticsandatthebox-office.Itoftenseemsthatthosewhopraisetheolderversionoverthisfilmhaveseldomactuallyseentheformer.Formanyyearsthe1931versionwasnotavailableforviewing.Duringthatperiodmanyfilmhistoriansgushedintheirpraiseofit.Whenitfinallyreappearedonscreensmostofthemfounditverycreakyandrevisedtheiropinionsbuttheolderopinionsarestillinprint,availableandread.True,theydidn'tchangetheiropinionofthisversion,buttheolderfellintoproperperspective...CinemaHistoryandratherdryhistoryatthat.Whilethisversionisnotaclassicitremainsgoodentertainment.Compareitto"HowTheWestWasWon"madebythesamestudiojustafewyearslater.…