A Brilliant Conflict

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Dean Jagger was Elvis' father in King Creole, and he is Natalie Wood's father in Cash McCall. This movie is from 1960, right about the time James Garner left the Maverick TV series due to his contract dispute with Warner Brothers. The movie is very businessy and very New Yorkish, white men in suits and ties. Garner is a young wheeler dealer who buys Jagger's plastic company, then sets his sights on Natalie. Garner says he thoroughly enjoys making money, so his character has something in common with Bret Maverick, although Bret made his playing poker. Bret was not the marrying kind, while Cash McCall is. I was 14 when this movie was in theaters and remember it being advertised in the local paper. I finally watched it online.

Cash McCall is a fun and entertaining early 60s flick that, sad to say, doesn't cure cancer! James Garner and Natalie Wood are easy on the eyes and give passable performances for the genre. I think they had fun making this movie. There's a lot of eye candy, and lavish lifestyles from the 60s for us to enjoy. The business dealings are sharply delineated and remind one of the anti-corporation feelings that are in the news today. I am an Aviation Buff and the A-26 converted to an executive transport (as in an early Onmark Marksman)and the classic cars are a joy to watch. By the way, the A-26 is essentially the same aircraft that was used in "Always" with Dreyfuss and Holly Hunter. The thing to do is to munch some popcorn, grab a soda and watch a vintage American film that entertains and makes you smile. I think they used to call that a movie, not a catharsis or an epiphany. Enjoy !

Natalie Wood drives a beautiful white, 1959 Mercury convertible with the top down and at the end of the movie, she and James Garner drive off in a more beautiful, white 1959 Lincoln Continental also with the top down. As a vintage car collector, I love spotting those beauties in those old films. Hollywood always used convertibles when they could so the actors could be seen on camera much easier without obstructions. Hollywood was also very hard on automobiles over the last 100 years. The director would say, "Ok, when we cut to the chase, I want to run the Duesenburg SJ Roadster off the cliff at the end of the scene. Don't worry, I've allotted for it in the budget." Katharine Hepburn once said, "Getting old is like driving an Edsel with a flat tire."

I watched this solely because James Garner was in it and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Natalie Wood was beautiful! I thought the plot was somewhat hard to swallow - but it shows how much you would do for love! If you like this movie, rent "Wheeler-Dealers" with Mr. Garner and Lee Remick. It is hilarious!