Movie #1235 ........................."Second Time Around" (1961)

Movie #1235 "Second Time Around"  --- I caught this movie the other day because I hadn't seen it the first time around, and I now know I didn't miss very much.  Debbie Reynolds kind of plays the Molly Brown, tomboy- strong woman much like the character in "Unsinkable Molly Brown." But that's where the comparison ends because this script was horrible.  Not to mention it probably set back women a decade in its treatment of the main character here --- Even for the 60s, this does nothing to boost morale of women  -- it tells them if they are in trouble, they should just marry well. At least that's what the Thelma Ritter character tells Debbie when she is suddenly widowed with two small children and is broke and never had a job .  Debbie decides to go  out west to work, but everyone, including the women, thinks that is laughable.  Wow!     The film just goes down hill from there.  It's full of caricatures  instead of fleshed out characters --- something Debbie Reynolds was usually good at doing. Andy Griffith, too, but they don't deliver here --- it's the script.  So if this comes around a third and fourth time, you can miss it.  It's not that good at all.  2.5 stars out of 5.

The Second Time Around (1961)

1h 39min | Family, Western | 22 December 1961 (USA)

In 1911, a widow with two children leaves New York City for territorial Arizona and becomes a ranch hand and later gets herself elected sheriff. A gambler and a rancher become rivals for her affections.

Director:

 Vincent Sherman

Writers:

 Richard Emery Roberts (novel),  Oscar Saul (screenplay) | 1 more credit »

Stars:

 Debbie Reynolds,  Steve Forrest,  Andy Griffith