Trouble Along the Way

A disgraced football coach (John Wayne) tries to save a Catholic University and retain custody of his daughter.

Trouble Along The Way is vintage Michael Curtiz: the story moves at a cracker-jack pace, the dialog is snappy, and the hero is a man among men. Sure, the plot has some holes and Donna Reed’s character is pretty thin, but the movie’s so darn entertaining you don’t even notice.

The cast is perfect. John Wayne seems born to play the flawed, but ultimately heroic lead, and 11 year-old Sherry Jackson delivers a great performance, made even more remarkable by her young age. The supporting cast doesn’t disappoint either, especially Charles Coburn, who’s performance serves to bookend the film nicely.

Really, it’s hard to find fault with this little movie. I suppose the ending is a little shallow, and, as I said earlier, Donna Reed’s character is a little thin, but neither should discourage you from giving it a look.