1h 35min | Comedy, Drama, Romance | 10 March 1948 | Color
Director: F. Hugh Herbert
Stars: June Haver, Lon McCallister, Walter Brennan, Henry Hull, Anne Revere, Natalie Wood
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040762/
bootleg copy, ok print.
The writer/director F. Hugh Herbert is not the same as actor/writer Hugh Herbert.
2nd and final film pairing of JH with LM, the other being Home in Indiana ('44).
Too bad the mules didn't get screen credit; they deserve at least 2nd billing after Brennan, who is wonderful as always. This gets a high rating today because I was really cheering for the mules in the final scene, and I rarely get that involved with a farm film, much less about dray animals. Also, I think I was at least half way through the film before I thought "is this a musical?" It has no songs; I must have added it to the quest because of JH. Glad I did.
NW (b. '38) is an excellent snoopy, interfering (for good reasons) child here, less than a year after Miracle on 34th Street; this is her 8th of 48 films. I'm not a fan of child stars, but NW is always watchable. Perhaps the fact that she doesn't sing/dance makes her more appealing.
JH plays wholesome easily, and does it well here. Her character is at that stage in life that she doesn't know which she values more: brawn or goodness.
The real star of the film is LM in terms of screen time, character development, plot focus. He was cast well and performed well.
Can't say more without spoilers.
Fox, dir. Herbert; 7+
