Silver River should be a much better movie than it is. After all, it has Errol Flynn, who practically defined the idea of an adventure hero in the hey day of the cinema. And there's Ann Sheridan, a beauty that's always a pleasure to have around. They're being guided through their paces by Raoul Walsh, a director who knew his way around the Western and Flynn both (no easy task, that last one). Yet, while River is no disaster, it's a pretty dull movie -- after the first 15 minutes that is. The opening sequence is actually very good, containing excitement and action and promising a rip-roaring good time. But after that, it's down hill. Part of the problem is that Flynn's character is unlikeable; sure, it's a tale of redemption and so the character has to have flaws. But it's hard to muster sufficient sympathy for him after he sends his rival out on a mission with the express purpose of being killed. The script also meanders, and it doesn't provide the kind of big moments we keep hankering after. For his part, Flynn walks through much of the picture, relying on his charm to get him through parts that clearly don't interest him. Sheridan does rather better, but she's off her mark a bit, too, and Walsh just seems uncharacteristically at sea.