The Luck Of Roaring Camp

Bret Harte's short story The Luck of Roaring Camp had previously been woven into the plot of RKO's Outcasts of Poker Flat when this Monogram "special" made its appearance late in 1937. The basic story remains intact, with an orphaned baby magically bringing good fortune to a rough-and-tumble mining camp. Among those to benefit from the kid's presence are earnest young miner Davey (Owen Davis Jr.), rough-edged but likeable camp singer Elsie (Joan Woodbury) and shifty-eyed gambler Oakhurst (Charles Brokaw). At base a good yarn, Luck of Roaring Camp suffers from an excess of corn, especially in the closing scenes. It was the final directorial effort of Irvin Willat, a once-prominent figure in the world of silent films.