NR | 1h 59m | Adventure, Drama, Romance | 1940
I stumbled upon “Boom Town” (1940), the third and final collaboration between Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy, and it was compelling enough to explore their earlier films, “San Francisco” (1936) and “Test Pilot“ (1938).
“Boom Town” centers on two oil wildcatters, “Big John” McMasters (Gable) and “Square John” Sand (Tracy). Their friendship is tested by ambition, rivalry, and romance.
The film also stands out as a vibrant ode to capitalism and entrepreneurial grit, celebrating the innovation that helped build modern America. With Claudette Colbert and Hedy Lamarr adding charm to the story, the film is a classic showcase of star power and storytelling.
Grit and Gumption
Our tale begins as McMasters and Sand cross paths in a gritty oil town; they’re each determined to carve out a fortune from the unforgiving landscape.Sand, romantically linked to the spirited Betsy Bartlett (Claudette Colbert), dreams of bringing her to Texas once his prospects improve. But Betsy has plans of her own and arrives unannounced, throwing a wrench in Sand’s operations. The real twist comes when Betsy finds herself drawn to McMasters. In a whirlwind of passion, she soon marries him.
Sand takes the heartbreak in stride since McMasters hadn’t known Sand’s connection to Betsy, but tensions come to a boil over a year later when he suspects McMasters of infidelity. Their friendship crumbles, and in a high-stakes gamble for the oil field, McMasters loses everything.
Love and Loss on and Off-screen
“Boom Town” showcases one of Clark Gable’s finest performances, capturing him at the pinnacle of his career and personal life. Happily married to Carole Lombard, his third wife and the love of his life, Gable seemed invincible.Tragically, this happiness was short-lived; Lombard’s death two years later in a 1942 plane crash, following her efforts to support the war, left Gable grief-stricken for the rest of his life. Honoring her memory, he enlisted in the Army Air Forces, fulfilling her earlier encouragement to serve during World War II.
What truly elevates this film is the undeniable chemistry between Gable and Spencer Tracy. While Colbert and Lamarr deliver stellar performances, the core of the story lies in the bond—and rivalry—between the two male leads.
Gable’s fiery, larger-than-life performance as McMasters shows a personal connection; he once worked in the oil fields alongside his father before becoming Hollywood royalty. You can feel Gable channeling his own past into the role, imbuing it with a raw, unpolished edge that grounds the film’s larger-than-life themes of ambition and camaraderie.
Tracy, as the steady and principled Sand, offers a perfect foil and balance to McMasters’s volatile energy. As ambitious oil wildcatters, Gable and Tracy navigate triumph, betrayal, and redemption with a commanding presence and a shared code of honor that transcends the material stakes of their world.
The story doesn’t dwell too much on material success; it’s more about the human cost of ambition and the value of integrity. And, while the script doesn’t delve too deeply into the inner workings of its characters, the performances do the heavy lifting, creating a world where love and honor outweigh greed.
Gable and Tracy, both powerhouses of their own, manage to shine equally here without overshadowing each other, a rarity in films with dual leads. Their dynamic makes “Boom Town” not just a showcase of their individual talents but also a celebration of their on-screen partnership.
