Trouble Along the Way

Last updated
Trouble Along the Way
TroubleAlongtheWay.jpg
Directed by Michael Curtiz
Written by Robert Hardy Andrews (story)
Douglas Morrow (story)
Jack Rose
Melvill Shavelson
James Edward Grant (uncredited)
Produced by Melville Shavelson
Starring John Wayne
Donna Reed
Charles Coburn
Cinematography Archie Stout
Edited by Owen Marks
Music by Max Steiner
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date
  • April 4, 1953 (1953-04-04)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2.45 million (US) [1]

Trouble Along the Way is a 1953 American comedy film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring John Wayne and Donna Reed, with a supporting cast including Charles Coburn and Marie Windsor. The black-and-white film was released by Warner Bros. with an aspect ratio of 1.37:1.

Contents

Plot

Small, obscure St. Anthony's College, a Catholic and Jesuit university, is in dire financial straits and about to be closed. To save it, and himself from forced retirement, elderly rector Father Burke (Charles Coburn) hires a down-and-out former big-time football coach, Steve Williams (John Wayne), in hopes of building a lucrative sports program. First turning down the job, Williams later accepts it when he learns that his former wife, Anne (Marie Windsor), now remarried, complained to Social Services that he is an unfit father and plans to sue for custody of their 11-year-old daughter, Carole (Sherry Jackson). Anne’s actual aim is not to get Carole, in whom she has no interest, but rather to pressure Steve into having an affair with her.

Social Services worker Alice Singleton (Donna Reed), coldly prejudiced against Steve because she suffered from a relationship with her father similar to that between Steve and Carole, is preparing a report in Anne’s favor. Steve attempts to charm Alice and win her over. Desperate to have the football program pay off, Father Burke uses his clerical connections to schedule St. Anthony's against high profile Catholic colleges — Villanova, Notre Dame, etc. — in the upcoming season. Faced with physically inadequate players, Steve uses chicanery to enroll beefy star athletes as freshmen and build a winning team. Father Burke learns of Steve’s dishonest methods, reprimands him and disbands the sports program, knowing this will cause St. Anthony’s to close. Alice submits a report unfavorable to Steve, but she repudiates it in the court custody hearing after recognizing her bias and Anne's lack of honest affection for Carole. Alice also testifies that Steve isn't a properly responsible parent, and under questioning reveals she is in love with him.

The judge halts proceedings and places Carole in custody of the State. He assigns her a new case worker until matters can be sorted out. In a surprise move, the Church agrees to continue funding St. Anthony's. Burke nevertheless resigns as rector, believing that he had been behaving selfishly to unnecessarily prolong his position. Before leaving, he reinstates Steve as coach and forgives him his unscrupulous behavior as it was done out of love for his child. The film ends with Carole, accompanied by Alice, walking away from Steve, with the implication that Steve and Alice will wed and the three would be together as a family.

Cast

Production

Portions of the film were shot at Pomona College and Loyola Marymount University, and various Los Angeles high schools, including Loyola High. Max Steiner provided the music. [2]

Reception

The New York Times gave it a favorable review, citing "spirited and contemporary" dialogue. [3]

Saying that Wayne was "completely at home" in the role, Variety also found the lines, "a principal factor" in carrying the film. [2] Craig Butler found the film predictable yet heart warming. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donna Reed</span> American actress (1921–1986)

Donna Reed was an American actress. Her career spanned more than 40 years, with performances in more than 40 films. She is well known for her portrayal of Mary Hatch Bailey in Frank Capra's fantasy holiday film It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Reed won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Fred Zinnemann's war drama film From Here to Eternity (1953).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sherry Jackson</span> American actress (born 1942)

Sherry D. Jackson is an American retired actress and former child star.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marie Windsor</span> American actress (1919–2000)

Marie Windsor was an American actress known for her femme fatale characters in the classic film noir features Force of Evil, The Narrow Margin and The Killing. Windsor's height created problems for her in scenes with all but the tallest actors. She was the female lead in so many B movies that she became dubbed the "Queen" of the genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Volman</span> Musical artist

Mark Randall Volman is an American vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the 1960s rock band The Turtles, and, along with his bandmate and friend Howard Kaylan, a member of the 1970s rock duo Flo & Eddie, where he used the pseudonym Flo. Volman also became a stand-out figure upon joining Frank Zappa's band, The Mothers of Invention. With Kaylan's retirement in 2017, Volman is the last original member of the Turtles still performing with the band.

<i>The Brady Bunch Hour</i> American television series

The Brady Bunch Hour is an American variety show featuring skits and songs produced by Sid & Marty Krofft Productions in association with Paramount Television. It ran on ABC from November 28, 1976, to May 25, 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Boot Awards</span> American film and television award

The Golden Boot Awards were an American acknowledgement of achievement honoring actors, actresses, and crew members who made significant contributions to the genre of Westerns in television and film. The award was sponsored and presented by the Motion Picture & Television Fund. Money raised at the award banquet was used to help finance various services offered by the Fund to those in the entertainment industry.

<i>Suburban Mayhem</i> 2006 film by Paul Goldman

Suburban Mayhem is a 2006 Australian comedy thriller film directed by Paul Goldman and written by Alice Bell. Starring Emily Barclay, Michael Dorman, Anthony Hayes, Robert Morgan, Steve Bastoni, Mia Wasikowska and Genevieve Lemon, the film follows Katrina Skinner (Barclay), a 19-year-old single mother with a long history of petty crimes who plots to murder her father John (Morgan) after he threatens to take custody of her child away from her due to her wild lifestyle and negligent behaviour.

Fireflies is an Australian television show which aired on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in Australia and RTÉ One in Ireland. It debuted on 7 February 2004 and screened as 22 episodes. The series was set in the fictional country town of Lost River, population 487. The location was the actual Hunter Valley town of Wollombi, and other scenes are set in the district and along the southern end of the Putty Road to Singleton. It was centred on the lives of a group of volunteer firefighters, during the hottest, driest summer in decades. The theme song "Beautiful Feeling" was written and performed by Paul Kelly.

<i>Pete and Gladys</i> American television sitcom (1960–1962)

Pete and Gladys is an American television sitcom starring Harry Morgan and Cara Williams that aired on CBS every Monday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time for two seasons, beginning on September 19, 1960. The last episode was broadcast on September 10, 1962.

<i>The Benny Goodman Story</i> 1956 film by Valentine Davies

The Benny Goodman Story is a 1956 American musical biographical film starring Steve Allen and Donna Reed, written and directed by Valentine Davies, and released by Universal-International. The film was intended as a follow-up to Universal's 1954 hit The Glenn Miller Story, dramatizing a popular bandleader's life.

<i>Face of a Fugitive</i> 1959 film by Paul Wendkos

Face of a Fugitive is a 1959 American Western film directed by Paul Wendkos. It stars Fred MacMurray, Lin McCarthy, Myrna Fahey, James Coburn and Dorothy Green and was based on the short story "Long Gone" by Peter Dawson, the pen name of Jonathan H. Glidden. Dawson was the author of 120 Western short stories and novelettes as well as 15 book length Western serials. The working title was Justice Ends with a Gun.

<i>Devils of Darkness</i> 1965 British horror film by Lance Comfort

Devils of Darkness is a 1965 British horror film directed by Lance Comfort and starring William Sylvester, Hubert Noël and Carole Gray. It was the last feature film directed by Comfort.

<i>At Last... Bullamakanka: The Motion Picture</i> 1983 Australian film

At Last... Bullamakanka: The Motion Picture is a 1983 Australian comedy film directed by Simon Heath and starring Steve Rackman, Gary Kliger, Alyson Best, Robert Baxter, and Angry Anderson, Adrian Bernotti The plot is about a small town visited by a government official. It is noticeable for the number of music acts that appear.

The Best Place to Be is a 1979 American TV film produced by Ross Hunter. It marked Donna Reed's return to acting after 13 years. Hunter planned a sequel but this did not eventuate.

The 2020 New Year Honours in New Zealand were appointments by Elizabeth II in her right as Queen of New Zealand, on the advice of the New Zealand government, to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by New Zealanders, and to celebrate the passing of 2019 and the beginning of 2020. They were announced on 31 December 2019.

References

  1. ↑ 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1953', Variety, January 13, 1954
  2. 1 2 "Review: ‘Trouble Along the Way’", Variety, December 31, 1952
  3. ↑ "'Trouble Along Way' Follows Smooth Path at the Roxy", New York Times, May 7, 1953
  4. ↑ "Showtimes, reviews, trailers, news and more - MSN Movies". movies.msn.com.[ permanent dead link ]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.