Thunder Bay (1953)
Overview
Shrimpers and oilmen clash when an ambitious wildcatter begins constructing an off-shore oilrig.
Cast
James Stewart
Steve Martin
Joanne Dru
Stella Rigaud
Gilbert Roland
Teche Bossier
Dan Duryea
Johnny Gambi
Jay C. Flippen
Kermit MacDonald
Marcia Henderson
Francesca Rigaud
Robert Monet
Phillipe Bayard
Antonio Moreno
Dominique Rigaud
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John Chard
Boiling Oil.
Thunder Bay is directed by Anthony Mann and written by Gil Doud and George W. George. It stars James Stewart, Joanne Dru, Dan Duryea, Gilbert Roland and Jay C. Flippen. Music is by Frank Skinner and cinematography by William H. Daniels.
Offshore oil drillers set up base at Port Felicity, Louisiana and find the town’s shrimpers are not at all happy about this threat to their livelihood. Conflict and affairs of the heart do follow.
One of the eight films that James Stewart and Anthony Mann made together, Thunder Bay was relevant in topicality upon its release, and remains so today. Whilst lacking the psychological smarts that the duo’s Western productions had, it’s a handsome production with the expected qualities in front of and behind the cameras. There’s a lot of talky passages, which given the subject matter pulsing away at the core is understandable, but Mann ensures that action and suspense is never far away. It all builds to a crescendo, with loose ends and quibbles conveniently tied up in a Hollywood bow, but such is the skills of actors and director it rounds out as good and thorough entertainment. 7/10
