Honky Tonk - Warner Archive Collection

Clark Gable winningly played charming rascals for most of his 30-year career, and one of the characters that best represents that signature persona is "Candy" Johnson, a cocky, cynical con man who woos the lovely Lana Turner in a one-horse Nevada town in Honky Tonk. A somewhat schizophrenic film that unevenly blends comedy, drama, and romance, this high-spirited western was MGM's top moneymaker in 1941 and the year's second highest grossing movie behind Warner Bros' Sergeant York.

You'd think all that dough would ensure Honky Tonk's legacy, but director Jack Conway's film fell by wayside over the ensuing decades, largely because it can't quite figure out what it wants to be. Though it's rarely mentioned in discussions of Gable's and Turner's respective careers, Honky Tonk stands as the finest of the four movies the two stars made together and remains a slick piece of entertainment, despite its shortcomings. The plot may meander and some judicious tightening certainly would have accelerated the film's flagging pace, but a strong cast of MGM stalwarts keeps Honky Tonk humming and helps smooth over the rough patches.

After Candy and his devoted partner-in-trickery, affectionately dubbed "The Sniper" (Chill Wills), barely escape a tar-and-feathering by a posse of angry residents in a frontier town, the duo travels to what they hope will be a new criminal playground filled with easy marks. On the train, Candy meets Elizabeth Cotton, a sweet, prim Boston transplant who's come to Yellow Creek, Nevada, to live with her father, Judge Cotton (Frank Morgan), a drunken ne'er-do-well who abandoned her and her recently deceased mother years ago. Candy takes an instant shine to Elizabeth, much to the disappointment of his old flame "Gold Dust" Nelson (Claire Trevor), a flashy, loose saloon dame with the proverbial heart of gold.

Candy clashes with Yellow Creek's corrupt sheriff, Brazos Hearn (Albert Dekker), but Candy's chutzpah and wiles help him gain the respect of the townspeople and become their champion. Along the way, he discovers Elizabeth isn't quite as naïve as he first thought, and their rocky relationship coupled with his blind ambition, wicked ways, and rivalry with Brazos give Candy myriad problems that his toothy grin, twinkling eyes, and smooth talk can't easily solve.

Honky Tonk starts out as a rip-roaring comedy in the same vein as Destry Rides Again, but drama builds as the film progresses. During its second half, the screenplay by the husband-and-wife team of Marguerite Roberts and John Sanford gives off substantial Gone with the Wind vibes, as some moments between Candy and Elizabeth eerily resemble episodes that transpire between Rhett and Scarlett. (A couple of times I almost expected Elizabeth to say "Fiddle-dee-dee.") The lack of a clear-cut narrative identity drags Honky Tonk down (seven uncredited writers also tinkered with the screenplay, possibly contributing to its scattered feel), but somehow the cast manages to keep it afloat.

Gable mugs a bit too much on occasion (and the clarity of this Blu-ray accentuates his goofy facial expressions), but the role of Candy is tailor-made for his brand of sly, virile charm. Though just 20 years of age, Turner files a competent, kittenish performance, and the sparks that fly between her and her 40-year-old co-star inspired MGM to pair them three more times over the next 13 years. Amazingly, Turner and Gable, who would marry a dozen times between them and enjoy a string of amorous liaisons with others, never had an affair. In her autobiography, Turner writes, "We developed a pleasant working relationship, though not a close friendship." So much for life imitating art.

As per usual, MGM assembles a glittering group of character actors to flesh out the film, led by the priceless Morgan, who abandons his familiar flustered and befuddled routine to file a sensitive, serious portrayal of a broken man taking one final stand. In other roles, the always electric Trevor breathes life into her cardboard part and maximizes every moment of her far-too-limited screen time; Dekker oozes nastiness as the corrupt sheriff; Wills milks his lovable country bumpkin persona to the hilt; and the indomitable Marjorie Main brandishes plenty of bluster as a militantly pious rooming house matron.

Conway's most famous film is the first and best adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, and although he helmed many other MGM successes, his undistinguished style has kept most of his movies from achieving rarefied status. His direction of Honky Tonk is typically competent yet bland, and over time, the visual stagnation saps the story's energy. As a result, Honky Tonk fails to meet expectations, but 85 years after it broke the bank at the box office, it still provides a showcase for Gable and Turner and epitomizes what was then known as a star vehicle. If you love them, you'll probably love the film.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
Honky Tonk arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a standard case. Video codec is 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 and audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. Once the disc is inserted into the player, the static menu with music immediately pops up; no previews or promos precede it.

A brand new HD master struck from a 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative yields a spectacular 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer that celebrates the slick cinematography of four-time Oscar-nominee Harold Rosson. Superior clarity and contrast add marvelous dimension to the image, which maintains its natural grain structure and exhibits a lovely film-like feel. The picture is so crisp it calls undue attention to some of the cheap backdrops and rear projection work the movie employs.

Blacks are rich, the bright whites resist blooming, and a healthy grayscale brings out fine details in the sets and costumes, especially the ornate hats Turner and Trevor don throughout the picture. Excellent shadow delineation keeps crush at bay, sharp close-ups showcase glistening sweat, tears, facial hair, and Turner's fresh-faced beauty, and not a single nick, mark, speck of dirt, or errant scratch dot the pristine source. I don't own the 2009 DVD, but it's hard to imagine Honky Tonk looking any better than it does here. Gable, Turner, and classic movie fans shouldn't hesitate to upgrade.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track outputs clear, well-modulated sound. A wide dynamic scale handles all the highs and lows of Franz Waman's music score with ease, and sonic accents like gunfire and train bells are distinct. Though some of the dialogue during the rowdy saloon scenes is overpowered by all the hubbub, the rest of the exchanges are easy to comprehend. Any age-related hiss, pops, and crackle have been erased and no distortion could be detected.

A few vintage extras flesh out the disc.

• Vintage Cartoon: The Midnight Snack (SD, 9 minutes) - The first official Tom and Jerry cartoon features a much more ferocious-looking Tom, who stops at nothing in his quest to capture a hungry Jerry, who ventures into dangerous territory for a nocturnal bite to eat.
• Vintage Short: Fightin' Fools (SD, 9 minutes) - This Our Gang one-reeler pits the kids against a posse of bullies, climaxing in a food fight showdown. A pint-sized Robert Blake joins Spanky, Buckwheat, and Froggy in this slapstick short.
• Vintage Radio Adaptation (60 minutes) - Lana Turner reprises her role and John Hodiak takes on Gable's part in this hour-long radio adaptation, broadcast on April 8, 1946 as part of the Lux Radio Theater series. 
• Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2 minutes) - A reissue trailer completes the extras package.

Honky Tonk is a rollicking western romance that coasts along on the star power and sex appeal of Gable and Turner. It hits some bumps here and there, but the sparkling cast keeps us engaged. So does the sparkling Warner Archive transfer that's struck from a 4K scan of the original camera negative. Remastered audio and a few vintage extras cap off this top-notch presentation of a glossy MGM film. Recommended. 

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