Trouble Along the Way (1953)

She has nice legs as well!

Trouble Along the Way is directed by Michael Curtiz and collectively written by Melville Shavelson, Jack Rose, Douglas Morrow and Robert Hardy Andrews. It stars John Wayne, Donna Reed, Charles Coburn, Tom Tully, Sherry Jackson, Marie Windsor, Tom Helmore, Dabbs Greer and Leif Erickson. Music is by Max Steiner and cinematography by Archie Stout.

A church run college faces closure so turns to one time football coach Steve Williams (Wayne) to coach their failing team. Steve is facing a custody battle to keep his young daughter so he accepts the position. Can he win his battles? He uses his cunning know how to hopefully do just that, but his methods on the pitch and off it aren't exactly conventional.

Aside from the fact it is by definition a heart warmer, Trouble Along the Way has a lot going on. It pitches up with strong observations on single fatherhood, with Wayne's character having an interesting approach to life with his delightful daughter. It also gets in tight as to the role of a football coach, stripping bare educational advancements via sport. There's religious angles here as well, which although a touch heavy at times, they also make for an interesting thematic thread.

Ultimately though, we want cheer, swagger, fun and love, and this has it in spades. Cast perfs are excellent, with Wayne's chemistry with both Reed and young Jackson an absolute treasure. Dialogue is sharp and funny, the court scenes especially providing laugh out loud moments, and of course the pic takes us exactly where we expect and want to go.

A delightful comedy - cum romance - cum drama that escapes the threat of mawkishness with wit, intelligence and a big heart. 7/10