John Wayne was perfectly cast as a football player in "Doughboys" director Edward Sedgwick's gridiron melodrama "Maker of Men," but he isn't the top dog in this huddle. Instead, those honor go to Richard Cromwell of "Tol'rable David" fame. Jack Holt stars as Western University football coach Dudley. The drama in Howard J. Green's script arises from the troubles that Coach Dudley (Jack Holt) is facing when he puts his son on the team. Bob Dudley (Richard Cromwell) has been listening to football since he was in the cradle, and he is growing pretty sick about it. Although his father puts him on the team and plays him in a starting position, Bob lets him down, and Western loses an important game. Sure, Bob feels dejected, but he isn't as unhappy as his father is. He criticizes his son for "folding up" on them. In a fit of rage, Bob decides to attend Monroe University and he does something even worse, he goes out to play for Monroe. Meantime, things aren't going too well for his father. Mr. Rhodes (Richard Tucker) thinks that Coach Dudley has lost his touch and confronts him about his string of losses on the field. The coach punches out Mr. Rhodes. As it turns out, Mr. Rhodes is the father of Dusty Rhodes (John Wayne) who happens to play for Coach Dudley. In the climactic game of the season, Dusty is starting. At the same time, the Monroe coach (Joe Sawyer) decides to put Bob into the game. Bob receives the opening kick-off and runs the ball back for a touchdown and then makes the point after conversion. Late in the game, Dusty scores for Western and makes the field goal. Nevertheless, Bob surprises everybody including his father and Dusty by scoring one more time. Monroe triumphs over Western, but Coach Dudley doesn't seem too upset and goes into the opposing team's locker room to congratulate his wayward son.
Clocking at a trim 71 minutes, "Maker of Men" manages to live up to its title, with Coach Dudley making a man of his son, but only after he runs him off to an opposing university. Mind you, this black & white movie would be nothing more than just another football feature were it not for Duke Wayne's supporting turn as a football player. In real life, Wayne fielded the pigskin for USC, and he appears in his element as a football player. Not only does "Maker of Men" represent an early effort for Wayne, but also the game of college football looks rather primitive. The football players wear next to nothing in terms of protection, and their helmets are nothing like the headgear that came into usage later in the Twentieth century. Director Edward Sedgwick stages the action with more verve than the story contains. The photography during the games looks good, with evocative low-angle shots during the huddles. Ward Bond is on hand and visible in several scenes, and future "Flash Gordon" star Buster Crabbe is in the action as an uncredited supporting player. Tough guy Joe Sawyer is effective as the Monroe coach. The production values are sturdy so this football epic doesn't look like the producers scrapped the bottom of the barrel to finance it. Altogether, without Wayne's presence, "Maker of Men" would have vanished into obscurity.
Clocking at a trim 71 minutes, "Maker of Men" manages to live up to its title, with Coach Dudley making a man of his son, but only after he runs him off to an opposing university. Mind you, this black & white movie would be nothing more than just another football feature were it not for Duke Wayne's supporting turn as a football player. In real life, Wayne fielded the pigskin for USC, and he appears in his element as a football player. Not only does "Maker of Men" represent an early effort for Wayne, but also the game of college football looks rather primitive. The football players wear next to nothing in terms of protection, and their helmets are nothing like the headgear that came into usage later in the Twentieth century. Director Edward Sedgwick stages the action with more verve than the story contains. The photography during the games looks good, with evocative low-angle shots during the huddles. Ward Bond is on hand and visible in several scenes, and future "Flash Gordon" star Buster Crabbe is in the action as an uncredited supporting player. Tough guy Joe Sawyer is effective as the Monroe coach. The production values are sturdy so this football epic doesn't look like the producers scrapped the bottom of the barrel to finance it. Altogether, without Wayne's presence, "Maker of Men" would have vanished into obscurity.
