Silver Queen (1942)

In the New York City of 1872, a wealthy man (Eugene Pallette) loses all his money in a stock market crash. After his death, his daughter (Priscilla Lane) moves to San Francisco where as a gambler, she hopes to make enough money to pay all her father's creditors back. Directed by Lloyd Bacon (BROTHER ORCHID), this western B programmer is entertaining enough if predictable. Surprisingly for a B movie, it actually received two Oscar nominations. One for Victor Young's underscore (not one of his more memorable scores) and the handsome art direction of Ralph Berger and Emile Kun. Priscilla Lane's Warner Brothers contract was over and she was freelancing without much success and her career was effectively over by 1948 though her one big hit ARSENIC AND OLD LACE (1944) was actually filmed in 1941. The likable George Brent is the gambler in love with her and Bruce Cabot is her devious fiance. Agreeable but not mandatory viewing. With Guinn Williams, Janet Beecher, Lynne Overman, Arthur Hunnicutt and Marietta Canty.