Movie Monday: Boomtown (1940)

Boomtown is one of those movies that you watch without expectations and then suddenly it ranks within you list of favorite movies to watch! The story in this film is as timeless any other, and the acting is superb. This Movie Monday I will be reviewing this classic that has quickly become one of my favorites!

Before watching Boomtown, I had never seen Spencer Tracy star in a film before. It wasn’t until see this movie that I realized just how talented this man was as an actor. The way he captures a rather simple, sometimes hard luck guy is as timeless as this film. He balanced out Clark Gables often over the top masculinity with ease, and makes you forget he is even playing a character!

We can’t forget about the iconic Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert duo that star alongside Tracy in Boomtown! There are many cute references to their other famous movie together It Happened One Night. These Easter eggs are their for the audience to laugh and smile at knowing these two have a long an varied history in that other famous film, too. Unlike Gable’s other many leading ladies, Colbert doesn’t present herself as someone who is actively trying to resist him. Instead, it just seems like a natural fit for this couple to be together.

This review of Boomtown wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t give Hedy Lamarr her time in the sun! Lamarr is an overall impressive lady who lived a full life, what with helping to invent the technology we use for wifi and bluetooth and what not. However, her talents as an actress are often also overshadowed by her own beauty and scandals. Maybe someday I will write a separate blog post on the amazing life of Hedy Lamarr, but for now just know she was highly influential on Hollywood in terms of beauty and fashion. Also, this was not her first starring role alongside Clark Gable, Lamarr played Gable’s opposite in her breakout film Algiers.

Like I said at the beginning of this review, Boomtown‘s story is timeless. This film chronicles the rise and fall of two men who are working on conquering the oil industry. You can imagine the kind of complications that go along with the having to wield and deal within this industry. I feel like the film Giant (1956) too a lot of inspiration from Boomtown. Both are great movies and classics in their own right, but that is because so many people can relate to the successes and failures shown on screen.

Boomtown has become one of my favorite films of all time. I highly encourage everyone to this movie because it’s overall message is so intrinsically true and honest that you end up carrying it with you afterwards.

Much Love,

Sarah