Pittsburgh (1942 film)
Encyclopedia
Pittsburgh is a 1942
feature film
directed by Lewis Seiler
and starring Marlene Dietrich
, Randolph Scott
, and John Wayne
. Shemp Howard of Three Stooges
fame co-stars in a rare dramatic role (as 'Shorty,' an irascible tailor). Dietrich, Scott, and Wayne also made The Spoilers
together that same year. Scott received top billing over Wayne in both films despite the fact that Wayne's roles were larger and more important.
He interests a steel mill owner in a supply of cut-price coke and, needing the steel mill owner's signature on a contract to persuade the mine-owner to supply the coke, he forges it himself. Flushed with success, he starts talking of helping to improve the lot of the men he used to work with, but his first taste of big business goes to his head. He marries the steel mill owner's daughter much to Josie's dismay but soon feels out of his depth at the wedding reception and other formal gatherings.
As Pittsburgh follows his lonely path to further heights of financial wizardry and big business success, his old ideals fall by the wayside. He puts his father-in-law out of the business and he betrays the men that he had promised to help. He even puts a stop to research into a new medicine to be developed from coal tar to relieve world suffering because it doesn't show any profit. Cash draws the line and demands to be let out of his partnership with Pittsburgh. When the men stage a revolt against Pittsburgh in the mine, he goes down to tackle them singlehanded, as bold and confident as ever, and Cash follows to intercede before trouble can break out, putting the dispute on a personal level between him and Pittsburgh and turning it into a fistfight.
This marks the turning point of Pittsburgh's career. His success goes sour, Cash abandons him, his wife walks out and Josie is badly hurt in a mine accident. He is all alone. He now goes in reverse gear and tries to win friends by putting right his past mistakes. Cash and Josie marry and Pittsburgh's business folds up under him. Only now does he feel genuinely repentant but it is too late. As World War II engages America, he goes to work for Cash's new company under an assumed name, starting at the bottom. Soon his ideas for improving output command Cash's attention and when the new employee comes to meet the boss only Josie prevents them from quarreling bitterly, giving the film a patriotic message that the important thing at this time of war is "devotion to our country." With the three united as friends again it remains for Pittsburgh to make one small assertion of his old arrogance. Given the job of production manager by Cash, he upgrades himself to being his partner.
1942 in film
The year 1942 in film involved some significant events, in particular the release of a film consistently rated as one of the greatest of all time, Casablanca.-Events:...
feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
directed by Lewis Seiler
Lewis Seiler
Lewis Seiler was an American film director. He directed 88 films between 1923 and 1958.He was born in New York, New York, and died in Hollywood, California.-Selected filmography:* A Bankrupt Honeymoon...
and starring Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
, Randolph Scott
Randolph Scott
Randolph Scott was an American film actor whose career spanned from 1928 to 1962. As a leading man for all but the first three years of his cinematic career, Scott appeared in a variety of genres, including social dramas, crime dramas, comedies, musicals , adventure tales, war films, and even a few...
, and John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
. Shemp Howard of Three Stooges
Three Stooges
The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe,...
fame co-stars in a rare dramatic role (as 'Shorty,' an irascible tailor). Dietrich, Scott, and Wayne also made The Spoilers
The Spoilers (1942 film)
The Spoilers is a 1942 film directed by Ray Enright. The movie is set in Nome, Alaska during the Nome Gold Rush, with Marlene Dietrich as Cherry Malotte, Randolph Scott as Alexander McNamara, and John Wayne as Roy Glennister, and culminates in a spectacular saloon fistfight between McNamara and...
together that same year. Scott received top billing over Wayne in both films despite the fact that Wayne's roles were larger and more important.
Plot
Here John Wayne plays a coal miner with ambitions, Pittsburgh Markham. His self-confidence manifests itself in a lack of consideration for others. He's usually friendly but he makes use of people; to promote a loan, to con a new suit out of a tailor, to raise some money from a boxing match—pushing his best friend, Cash Evans ( Randolph Scott) into the ring. When he meets Josie Winters (Marlene Dietrich), he starts calling her "Countess" because of the impression she makes on him, although she reveals that she comes from the same kind of humble coal-mining background as himself. Josie remains somewhat unimpressed by his big ideas but when she dares him to quit his job in the mine he does so—and tenders Cash's resignation as well.He interests a steel mill owner in a supply of cut-price coke and, needing the steel mill owner's signature on a contract to persuade the mine-owner to supply the coke, he forges it himself. Flushed with success, he starts talking of helping to improve the lot of the men he used to work with, but his first taste of big business goes to his head. He marries the steel mill owner's daughter much to Josie's dismay but soon feels out of his depth at the wedding reception and other formal gatherings.
As Pittsburgh follows his lonely path to further heights of financial wizardry and big business success, his old ideals fall by the wayside. He puts his father-in-law out of the business and he betrays the men that he had promised to help. He even puts a stop to research into a new medicine to be developed from coal tar to relieve world suffering because it doesn't show any profit. Cash draws the line and demands to be let out of his partnership with Pittsburgh. When the men stage a revolt against Pittsburgh in the mine, he goes down to tackle them singlehanded, as bold and confident as ever, and Cash follows to intercede before trouble can break out, putting the dispute on a personal level between him and Pittsburgh and turning it into a fistfight.
This marks the turning point of Pittsburgh's career. His success goes sour, Cash abandons him, his wife walks out and Josie is badly hurt in a mine accident. He is all alone. He now goes in reverse gear and tries to win friends by putting right his past mistakes. Cash and Josie marry and Pittsburgh's business folds up under him. Only now does he feel genuinely repentant but it is too late. As World War II engages America, he goes to work for Cash's new company under an assumed name, starting at the bottom. Soon his ideas for improving output command Cash's attention and when the new employee comes to meet the boss only Josie prevents them from quarreling bitterly, giving the film a patriotic message that the important thing at this time of war is "devotion to our country." With the three united as friends again it remains for Pittsburgh to make one small assertion of his old arrogance. Given the job of production manager by Cash, he upgrades himself to being his partner.
Cast
- Marlene DietrichMarlene DietrichMarlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
as Josie 'Hunky' Winters - Randolph ScottRandolph ScottRandolph Scott was an American film actor whose career spanned from 1928 to 1962. As a leading man for all but the first three years of his cinematic career, Scott appeared in a variety of genres, including social dramas, crime dramas, comedies, musicals , adventure tales, war films, and even a few...
as John 'Cash' Evans - John WayneJohn WayneMarion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
as Charles 'Pittsburgh' Markham/Charles Ellis - Frank CravenFrank CravenFrank Craven was an American stage and film actor, playwright, and screenwriter, best known for originating the role of the Stage Manager in Thornton Wilder's Our Town....
as J.M. 'Doc' Powers - Louise Allbritton as Shannon Prentiss (Markham)
- Shemp Howard as Shorty (the tailor)
- Thomas GomezThomas GomezThomas Gomez was an American actor.Born Sabino Tomas Gomez in New York City, Gomez began his acting career in theater during the 1920s and was a student of the actor Walter Hampden...
as Joe Malneck (miners union president) - Ludwig StösselLudwig StösselLudwig Stössel was an actor born in Lockenhaus, Austria. He was one of many Jewish actors and actresses that were forced to flee Europe when the Nazis came to power in 1933....
as Dr. Grazlich (Doc Powers' partner) - Samuel S. HindsSamuel S. HindsSamuel Southey Hinds was an American actor who is perhaps best remembered for playing Peter Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life and for his part in You Can't Take It With You , both films by Frank Capra...
as Morgan Prestiss (president, Prentiss Steel) - Paul FixPaul FixPaul Fix was an American film and television character actor, best known for his work in westerns. Fix appeared in more than a hundred movies and dozens of television shows over a 56-year career spanning from 1925 to 1981...
as Burnside (mine operator) - William HaadeWilliam HaadeWilliam Haade was an American film actor. He appeared in over 250 films between 1937 and 1957.He was born in New York, and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:* The Invisible Menace...
as Johnny (miner) - Charles Coleman as Mike (Markham's Butler)
- Nestor PaivaNestor PaivaNestor Paiva was an American actor of Portuguese descent who portrayed the innkeeper on Walt Disney's live-action television series Zorro by ABC and its feature film The Sign of Zorro which was shot in Burbank's Walt Disney Studios.-Career:Nestor appeared in motion pictures and television shows...
as Barney, Cafe Proprietor