Home | Movies By Year | Movies from 1936
Go West, Young Man
Buy Go West, Young Man now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the movie. And once you've experienced the movie, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
'Go West, Young Man' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Mae West, Warren William, and Randolph Scott. Released by Paramount Pictures and based on the 1934 play 'Personal Appearance' by Lawrence Riley, the film is about a movie star who gets stranded out in the country and trifles with a young man's affections. The phrase "Go West, Young Man" is often attributed to 'New York Tribune' founder Horace Greeley, and often misattributed to Indiana journalist John B. L. Soule, but the latest research shows it to be a paraphrase.[https://web.archive.org/web/20080508091042/http://www.llrx.com/features/quotedetective.htm Who Said, "Go West, Young Man" Quote Detective Debunks Myths].
Plot
Mavis Arden (Mae West), is a movie star who gets romantically involved with a politician. She makes plans to meet him at her next tour stop but her Rolls Royce breaks down and she is left stranded in the middle of a rural town. Her manager arranges for her to stay at a local boarding house. She immediately set her eyes on the young mechanic, fixing her car, Bud Norton, played by Randolph Scott. West sings the Arthur Johnston/John Burke song, 'I Was Saying to the Moon' as she is trying to seduce Scott.
Cast
* Mae West as Mavis Arden
* Warren William as Morgan
* Randolph Scott as Bud Norton
* Alice Brady as Mrs. Struthers
* Elizabeth Patterson as Aunt Kate Barnaby
* Lyle Talbot as Francis X. Harrigan
* Isabel Jewell as Gladys
* Margaret Perry as Joyce Struthers
* Etienne Girardot as Prof. Herbert Rigby
* Maynard Holmes as Clyde
* John Indrisano as Chauffeur
* Alyce Ardell as Jeanette (French maid)
* Nick Stewart as Nicodemus
* Charles Irwin as Master of Ceremonies
* Walter Walker as Andy Kelton
* Raquel Torres Rico's girlfriend
Reception
'The New York Times' wrote that the film had "lost little" from the play and called the supporting cast "uniformly excellent." 'Variety' wrote that "Miss West, in her own way, is excellent" even though her persona "tires a bit and no longer is quite the novelty it once was." "Excellent Mae West vehicle filled with laughs", reported 'Film Daily'. 'Motion Picture Daily' wrote that "the film is basically farce comedy and, while noticeably different from previous West features, it does not fail to deliver all that is expected." "The play was funny and tough; and the movie is funny, and perhaps tough too", wrote John Mosher in 'The New Yorker'. "We mustn't, of course, ever allow anything to curb Mae West, so it is with relief that we find her in this film no more shy than before." Writing for 'The Spectator', Graham Greene gave the film a poor review, characterizing it as "quite incredibly tedious", and "as slow and wobbling in its pace as Miss West's famous walk". (reprinted in: )
References
Buy Go West, Young Man now from Amazon
<-- Return to movies from 1936