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Boom Town

Name: Boom Town
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Romance, Western
Released: 1940-08-30
Cast: Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Claudette Colbert, Hedy Lamarr, Frank Morgan

1940 | 119 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance, Western

Weeknight Watchearly rating

Why it’s a Weeknight Watch

With little lasting buzz, it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for romantics and adventure fans. If you loved The Treasure of the Sierra Madre or True Grit, start here.
The mood: Warm and romantic.
The pace: Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 59 min.
What might put you off: Made in 1940: an older pace and style.

Two buddies who rise from fly-by-night wildcatters to oil tycoons over a twenty year period both love the same woman. McMasters and Sand come to oil towns to get rich. Betsy comes West intending to marry Sand but marries McMasters instead. Getting rich and losing it all teaches McMasters and Sand the value of personal ties.

How it earned its rating

CriticsNot counted
Not enough reviews on record yet
AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
AwardsSolid
Nominated for 2 Oscars.
Box office & staying powerSolid
$5 million worldwide on a $2 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 20K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Jack Conway

Clark GableBig John McMasters
Spencer TracySquare John Sand
Claudette ColbertBetsy Bartlett
Hedy LamarrKaren Vanmeer
Frank MorganLuther Aldrich
Lionel AtwillHarry Compton
Chill WillsHarmony Jones
Marion MartinWhitey
Minna GombellSpanish Eva
Joe YuleEd Murphy