User Reviews

I checked this out during a recent John Wayne retrospective on American Movie Classics because it sounded so different from the Duke's usual "w/w" fare (war & westerns). Here he plays Steve Williams, a disgraced professional football coach enlisted to build a revenue-producing team that will save a down-at-the-heels Catholic college from being forced to close. In the process he has to fight for custody of his daughter from a spiteful and vengeful ex-wife.

Wayne plays this role beautifully; his performance makes us aware of the fine actor he made of himself as he worked his way up over the years from those low-budget westerns, learning all along the way. Donna Reed puts in a turn as a social worker, and Charles Coburn is in his usual fine fettle as Father Burke, rector of the failing college. Wayne/William's daughter is played very well by a young lady named Sherry Jackson, and there are many familiar faces among the character actors in the cast. Chuck Connors makes one of his earliest screen appearances here.

The pacing is good, and the story keeps us involved. These are all interesting people, and we want to find out what happens to them. The script is intelligent, gritty, and extremely witty in many places. Also notable is a very on-the-money portrayal of the corrupting influence of big-time athletics at the college level, as Wayne/Williams pulls many shady tricks to field a team that can stand up to the ridiculously ambitious schedule that Father Burke manages to finagle. The commentary is even more relevant today, fifty years later, as college athletics have spun almost completely out of control.

One of the nicest things about the movie is the way in which, surprisingly, it does not opt for the easy-way-out happy ending that we all think we see coming as soon as Donna Reed as the social worker comes on the scene. The film is brave enough to leave things a bit unresolved.

Altogether an off-beat, intriguing, well-made, well-written, well-acted and thoroughly enjoyable little "sleeper" that is well worth your while.

For a guy who was very much a part of the University of Southern California football team, John Wayne did not do too many films involving sports. In one film College Coach if you look fast you can see the Duke in a film called College Coach that starred Pat O'Brien and Dick Powell.

The usual problems of college athletics are here, problems we make for ourselves with this foolish definition of amateur and professional athlete. Trouble Along the Way also adds to the mix some of Wayne's domestic problems. He's a single parent raising a young girl in not the greatest atmosphere in the world. He's got an ex-wife, Marie Windsor who wants custody now, and a social worker, Donna Reed who has trouble keeping her personal and professional lives separate.

As in They Were Expendable, Wayne and Reed, have good chemistry. But Wayne's scenes with little Sherry Jackson are something special. They avoid the usual sentimentality, but you will react to them.

Charles Coburn plays the father/rector of small Catholic college St. Anthony's which is on it's financial uppers. He gets the idea that a standout football team as a gate attraction will bring his college out of debt. He hires Wayne, a down on his luck football coach to achieve that end. Wayne does it in the tried and true way that schools always do. It gives Coburn an ethical problem.

Films from as far back as College Coach to the fine James Caan film, The Program have dealt with these issues. Twenty years from now, other films will do the same.

But this is a nice family picture for John Wayne. He gets to go back to one of his first loves and probably the Duke was happy to be in modern dress for a change.

James Dean is supposed to be one of the students. See if you can spot him.

The quote "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing" was actually a quote made by John Wayne in this 1953 film, "Trouble Along The Way". John Wayne does a fine job playing a college football coach, Steve Williams, who get's incorrectly caught up in a recruiting scandal. Sherry Jackson plays his daughter who idolizes him and demonstrates her excellent acting ability. I'm not a big football fan, but really enjoyed this film. Not only for the nostalgic look at the days when college football was fun and not the principal business of the university, but for the ethics that were around during that period of time.

Wayne makes the statement in the film many years before Vince Lombardi is credited with it.

Perhaps because "Trouble Along the Way" is so unusual a film for John Wayne, I rank it among my favorites.

He is a little more down to earth in this one; there is no violence; there is humor.

There is also a superb cast, some of the finest players with whom the Duke ever performed.

I highly recommend "Trouble Along the Way," to everyone, but especially to anyone who isn't familiar with the wide range and great ability of John Wayne.

An enjoyable little film. What was surprising was how funny John Wayne is here. I am not a big fan of his films but I wish he had more films like these out of his cop/cowboy/soldier stereotypes. Perhaps because he was a football player he was comfortable in the role of football

This is one John Wayne movie with which I was not familiar and with which his biography barely deals. While often stock & predictable, it is truly a heart-warming movie which nevertheless contains a rather frank expose and indictment of the "professionalism" present in college football. When one considers that when the movie was made, college football was MUCH bigger than professional football, it is amazing that the movie is so realistic in this regard.

This was a John Wayne Film I hadn't seen before, and I was surprised that it was so good. Wayne played it nice and low key, with a bit of humor thrown in. There's a real chemistry between John Wayne and Donna Reed, who plays a social worker that is being used by Steve Williams' (Wayne) ex-wife to take his daughter away from him. But little Shirley Jackson really steals the show as Waynes wise-cracking tomboy daughter, Carol. (Who would have thought that little tomboy would grow up into one of the most beautiful women ever to be on film.) She reminded me of Lucy (Quinn Cummmings) in The Goodbye Girl. Charles Coburn is tops as usual, playing the old priest who is desperate to save his college, St. Anthonys, and he turns to Wayne for help. And a crew cut Chuck Conners has a small bit as one of coach Williams assistants. All around, a very entertaining film; which is no surprise with Michael Curtiz as the director.

One of the unknown minor masterpieces of Curtiz, and a very fine, well modulated performance by John Wayne.Its probably the best-and the frankest-film about college football ever put on the screen.Its rich in human interest and well acted by all the principals.

Following the triumphant release and run of John Ford's THE QUIET MAN (Argosy Productions/Republic Pictures, 1952), there was a lot more types of roles available to John Wayne. It appears that to the Hollywood Hierarchy, who sort of had 'Duke' pigeon holed or typecast, if you will, John Wayne should be either a Cowboy or a Marine D.I., or something as manly. The concept of having him portraying some "reg'lar feller' or a family guy was just not possible.

But then we had THE QUIET MAN, a role that would require the main character to hit all the emotions. It was a Comedy in the classic sense, as in the Shakespearean sense. And yet it had plenty of serious and definitely moments. There are even some superbly melancholy moments that were as big a tear jerker as any.

So, anxious to have a John Wayne film, and one that would showcase this now extended emotional range 'Duke'. Warner Brothers came up with this family tear-jerker. It was the stuff that the Critics should like and the Public would love.(The operative here being 'should'!) In a nut shell, former Football Coach-turned Bookie, Steve Williams(John Wayne)has had custody of his daughter, Carol(Sherry Jackson) ever since the break-up of a loveless marriage with his 'ex',Anne Williams McCormick(Marie Windsor). Steve and Carol have a fine relationship, and he loves his daughter more than anything in the world.

Now all of a sudden, Steve's home/family situation comes under the scrutiny of the City's Child Welfare Agency. He finds himself right in the cross-hairs of one Miss Anne Singleton(Donna Reed), who has gotten the assignment to either give her imprimatur to their Domestic arrangement, or to vote to chloroform it.

At about that same time, Father William Matthew Burke(Charles Coburn), President of small St. Anthony's College is faced with a dilemma. The constraints of this modern, private Education and even m,ore so, the cost, are working to bring St. Anthony's to its end.

Never say die, Fr. Burke is constantly in prayer and actively looking for a solution. When he looks into the Holy Bible to find inspiration, he quite by chance stumbles onto a passage that advised the reader to "get fat and kick!" That was enough, the fiery old Priest heads out to find a Coach to organize a squad and establish a Football Program at St. Anthony's.

After a less than spectacular meeting, Steve reluctantly accepts the coaching job, it being a case of one hand washing the other. They move into some run down living quarters and Carol starts school at another school.

Father Burke and Carol become very close, each learning a lot fro the other. She gets use of a fine private Library(Fr. Burke's)and he learns some of the intricacies of having a successful College Football program, like Scheduling.

The complications that follow this in this story are well executed by the Director Michael Curtiz and company, even if some of them may seem to be a little old, tired and even obvious.

We do find out just why that the Williams family broke up and why after 10 or 12 years that the New York City Children's Welfare Agency is suddenly so interested in Steve's fitness as a Father with custody.

We are left with a sort of open ended conclusion, but heavily leaning toward Carol and Steve's remaining together. That would happen as long as certain things with a certain female went just right! And now, let's salute this fine supporting cast consisting of, but not limited to: Tom Tully, Marie Windsor, Tom Helmore, Dabbs Grear,Leif Ericson, Lester Matthews,Douglas Spencer, Chuck Connors, Frank Ferguson, Murray Alper and even James Dean(would you believe as an uncredited extra!) The film is warm, heart wrenching, very funny and sort of "seedy", to a small degree.

And incidentally, St. Anthony is our Catholic Patron Saint of "The Lost!"

I usually used to lay off John Wayne movies, didn't think I liked him, didn't know he did anything but westerns and war movies (I'm only 25, 'kay?). But I've been watching some of his stuff on AMC, this movie because I love football, and he wasn't a bad actor, was he? I also had just finished reading a biography of Woody Hayes and how college football coaches aren't just football coaches. I didn't see any of that in this movie, but it was an okay watch. And hey, was that James Dean?!

6/10

Hard times hit "Saint Anthony's College" and blustery old Charles Coburn (as Matthew William Burke) is advised to close the university, which is $170,000 in debt. Believing "the Lord will provide," Father Coburn reads God's advice in Deuteronomy 32:15, "The beloved grew fat, and kicked." So, he hires washed-up football coach John Wayne (as Stephen "Steve" Aloysius Williams) to turn the school's team into money-making winners. Although initially refusing, Mr. Wayne decides to accept the Priest's offer when "Domestic Relations Court" officer Donna Reed (as Alice Singleton) catches him with a hangover and dirty dishes...

Wayne's whorish ex-wife, Marie Windsor (as Anne), isn't interested in their daughter, telling Wayne, "I want you to visit me" since her new husband only raises her "to the heights" with his checkbook. Wayne appreciates Ms. Windsor's directness, but declines. He moves to the Christian school with cute eleven-year-old tomboy Sherry Jackson (as Carol). Ms. Reed sees the wholesome environment as an improvement, but still feels heavy drinking and smoking Wayne is a "degenerate" influence on his daughter. To make matters worse, Wayne has psychoanalyzed Reed as a sexually uptight virgin who needs to be taken by force…

"Trouble Along the Way" is both intentionally and unintentionally funny. It's filled with clichés, like Wayne's "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing" motto. Before his "you-know-you-want-it" moment with Reed, Wayne issues some amusing guidelines for lonely women, "In the best Christian tradition, I'm gonna return good for evil," he advises Reed, "Start winking at strange men. Drop your gloves anytime you're in an elevator with an eligible bachelor. Go boat-riding with lonesome sailors. Get out on the town! Let life rub up against ya! And, then maybe some man'll do this to ya!" ...LOL... At least, young Jackson is endearing.

**** Trouble Along the Way (4/4/53) Michael Curtiz ~ John Wayne, Donna Reed, Charles Coburn, Sherry Jackson

This is a light hearted uplifting tale directed by the talented Michael Curtiz. John Wayne plays a divorced man trying to keep custody of his young daughter(Sherry Jackson)and at the same time regain his self- respect by coaching football at a small, money strapped Catholic college.

This sentimental yarn has an all star supporting cast that includes: Charles Coburn, Donna Reed, Leif Erickson, Dabbs Greer and Chuck Conners.

John Wayne is an an out-of-business former football coach whom a college in financial trouble hires in order to make money with a successful sports team. The coache's little daughter (Sherry Jackson) grows up as a tomboy, which gives his divorced former wife a pretext for claiming legal custody of the child. These are the two issues around which the film revolves. Wayne gets together a winning team; at the same time, the welfare officer in charge of checking on how his daughter grows up (Donna Reed) gradually falls in love with him. The result is a picture that is pleasant enough but all in all less than exciting. The love story in particular is rather subdued, which is perhaps a good thing given the lack of chemistry between Reed and Wayne. In sum, this is a decent fim, well-made and on the whole well-acted but in no way exceptional.

Picture a "Cary Grant" style script but take it from the French Riviera and put it in urban New York! The "Grant" staple of high intrigue, beautiful scenery, and opulent subject matter is replaced with dirty streets, pool parlors, and a crooked football team but the dialogue and pacing are still there. Now throw in John Wayne is the seedy football coach who has been thrown out of the "legitamate" football leagues, Charles Coburn is the desperate head priest of a failing college, and Donna Reed is a tunnel visioned "do-gooder" cop. Reed wants to protect Wayne's daughter Sherry Jackson from his unhealthy influence and is sympathetic to Marie Windsor's (ex-wife from hell) claim that her daughter (Jackson) needs to be with her (even though she had abandoned Jackson as an infant when she ran off with another man). Wayne feels he's done nothing wrong but sees that antagonizing Reed is a mistake and takes the job of head coach at Coburn's St. Anthony's college as "cover" to clean up his image. Wayne realizes that if he wheels and deals under the table he can achieve Coburn's goal of making St. Anthony's a winning team and make a fortune for himself and his cohorts (including Chuck Conners in an early role). Wayne pulls in favors, blackmails everyone who doesn't play along, and deceives his benefactors to get a major schedule and almost succeeds. The conclusion of the film is thoroughly satisfying with Richard Garrick as the judge presiding over the case. Wayne takes over in true streetwise "Grant" style and is hilarious to the point that Reed asks the judge "Can I get a word in?" and Garrick resigns himself to say, "Ask him, I lost control of this trial a long time ago". The opposing attorney makes the comment "I could have been trying a murder case this week" and Garrick says, "Hang in there, you might still be". When Reed is asked by the opposing attorney if she loves Wayne, Wayne jumps up and tells the judge, "Remind the witness she's under oath!" Charles Coburn makes a wonderful speech at the end and reminds us of how good an actor he was. This is not John Ford's movie, this is Michael Curtiz' movie and it makes me wonder how much more Wayne had to offer in this genre (we would get a hint of it in "McLintock" and "North to Alaska"). The supporting cast is superb with the likes of Tom Tully and Dabbs Greer. Everyone does a great job and I place this at the top of my John Wayne list of films. Don't miss it.

A bankrupt Catholic college hires struggling football coach Steve Williams (John Wayne) to help turn things around but he uses methods that are frowned upon. Meanwhile, Steve is going through a nasty custody battle, so the court sends an uptight social worker (Donna Reed) to assess what kind of father he is. Not surprisingly, the two develop feelings for each other.

Wonderful change of pace for John Wayne. He didn't do many movies like this but he's really good in the part. Beautiful Donna Reed is excellent and has nice chemistry with Duke. Great supporting cast includes Charles Coburn, Tom Tully, Leif Erickson, Dabbs Greer, and Marie Windsor. Adorable Sherry Jackson plays Duke's daughter. Fine direction from Michael Curtiz. A sweet, heart-warming, dramatic film with some comic touches. One of the best and most underrated movies Duke did in his long career.

This is definitely a wonderful change of pace for John Wayne. He is a wonderfully, sympathetic character here and he gets great supporting work from Charles Coburn, Sherry Jackson, Marie Windsor and others.

When St. Anthony's College is threatened with closure due to failing finances, the rector of the college, played with dignity, reverence and a bit of humor by the fabulous Charles Coburn, the latter enlists the help of a down and out football coach (Wayne) who is in the midst of a custody battle with his wife over the child she walked out on years ago.

Sherry Jackson certainly makes room for this daddy in this film. She would later play Danny Thomas's daughter in that much beloved television series of that name.

The ending may not be to everyone's liking but this is definitely a heartwarming tale of a head priest admitting that he has been selfish, the problems associated with college football, but a myriad of warm, personal relationships.

Donna Reed is also great as the social worker who finally sees Wayne for the good man he really is.

I wish that John Wayne had made more pictures like this.

The poster makes it look like a romcom but the film barely got anything like that. In fact, the moment in the poster is so very different and one of the worst scenes in the movie. This must be the first John Wayne movie I've seen fully. And his crooked football coach single dad role seems to be something very different from his usual roles from what I read. But from what I know of his power stance in Hollywood, this role seems apt to him. A manly man who uses his charm to make his misogyny look like righteousness. The writing on all the women from the ex-wife and the child officer to the actual child is filled with casual misogyny that is so ingrained in the society of that time that they must have thought they were showing something progressive. Sherry Jackson who played the 11-year-old daughter was fantastic and she and Charles Coburn who played the father rector carried the film for me. Donna Reed's child inspector or whatever that character is supposed to be is something that I dread to see watching these old movies. The way it tries to show she's different from the woman the hero knows and yet shows her as the worst thing possible is something old films do quite easily. It's a testament to entitled men in power at that time. The film does try to tell good messages and does work in some ways. And when it's not beating itself up it's kind of an okay watch overall.

"Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing" says Stephen Aloysius 'Steve' Williams (John Wayne). Not the only movie where Wayne coined a phrase but didn't get the credit for it. When he got the opportunity, John Wayne can play the complex roles this movie called for quite brilliantly. Sherry Jackson played a great part as the daughter in a custody battle. Marie Windsor, one of the 50 greatest American screen legends was outstanding as the ex-wife seeking custody getting custody cop (Donna Reed) to do her bidding. Coach Chuck Connors is great in his supporting role here. Charles Coburn put on a career performance as Father Matthew William Burke trying to save his school. Trouble Along The Way has it all and great directing from Michael Curtiz.

When he's cute, John Wayne is so cute! I just love seeing the rough-and-tough cowboy show his softer side. In Trouble Along the Way, he's a single dad raising a street-smart little girl (played by Sherry Jackson). He's a football coach with a temper, and he reluctantly accepts a job at a private Catholic college, where he and Sherry have to live in a dingy little apartment above the church. It's not perfect, but they make do. With Charles Coburn and Tom Tully as the resident priests, John has to make sure he's on his best behavior. The major fly in the ointment, however, is Donna Reed, a truant officer. It turns out, Sherry doesn't go to school! John's been teaching her the important things: football and the Bible. What else is there?

If you've seen Captain January, you know that truant officers take their jobs seriously. If you liked Captain January, you'll probably really like this one. It's funny and sweet, and it adds in an element of romance that the Shirley Temple classic didn't feature. Sparks fly between John and Donna. I liked seeing them reunited after the heavy war feature They Were Expendable. If you like seeing John playing a big softie, check out Three Godfathers next.

John Wayne should have made more films like this; he is great as the father who wants to do better for his child but has done some things in his past that prevent this. He is offered the chance to coach football for a down and out Catholic college.

The movie plays everything lightly, but still, I was pretty surprised by the machinations that went on in sports years ago. Sherry Jackson is great as Wayne's daughter, and Donna Reed is tough as nails. Don't watch her performance here and expect to see her creampuff TV character, cause she's nowhere to be found. Charles Coburn is pretty staid as the head of the college, but Marie Windsor out-acts everyone as Wayne's nasty and conniving ex-wife. In short, this is a great film and if you find it, watch it.