It's interesting reading the reviews here. I don't quite agree with them because I think the film misses the mark by a bit. To me there are two problems here. First off, I just don't quite buy Van Johnson in this role. It would have been great for Jimmy Stewart, but then again, Jimmy occasionally did Westerns and such. But seeing Van Johnson in the one big fist fight here...well, it just didn't sync with me. And, at times, the film tried to be just a little folksy. To some degree that was called for, but I would have eliminated 90% of Van Johnson's singing because not only was it out of place (at least to the extent it was included), but he also didn't have that good a voice.
SPOILER ALERT!
However, those two issues aside, the plot was a good one. A stranger (Van Johnson) shows up at a homestead right after the Civil War. The homestead is owned by supporters of the Confederacy, headed by veteran character actor Thomas Mitchell. And there's his wife (Selena Royle), lovely daughter (Janet Leigh in her first film role), and young son (Dean Stockwell). The stranger doesn't let his sympathies with the North be known, but he begins working at the homestead of his own volition. To be honest, it was pretty clear right from the very start that this stranger knew the homesteader's son who died in the war, and that he would eventually wed the daughter. But, there's a lot of interesting story in between your realization that's what will happen and when it does actually happen. The Civil War may be over, but the animosity between Northern and Southern sympathizers in Missouri isn't, and that fuels terrorism and mistrust in the settlement.
Van Johnson is "satisfactory " here. He doesn't ruin the film by any means, but it's too far outside his typical casting for me to feel comfortable about him here. Thomas Mitchell is mostly pretty good here, although there were occasional scenes where I felt he sort of flubbed it. He seemed to old for the part, although he was actually only 55...just right for the role. He certainly needed his eyebrows trimmed!!!!! I actually found that quite distracting. Janet Leigh, not one of my favorites, was actually very good here in her first film role. We don't see Marshall Thompson as the son until a major flashback toward the end of the film; I usually liked him in his younger years. THe best acting here is actually done by Selena Royle, who plays the mother. Royle was once a real-life love interest of Spencer Tracy. She really very strong here. The young son is played by Dean Stockwell, who was one of the great child actors of the era, although he doesn't have a lot to do here, other than being present. There are a number of other famed character actors here that you'll recognize, including Guy Kibbee.
The worst part of the film was the fist fight, which was waaaaaaaaaaaaay over-choreographed. Nevertheless, I'm glad I watched this film...once...but I don't think I'd want to see it again. It does show a side of the post-Civil War era that is not often covered in film.
Recommended with reservations.
SPOILER ALERT!
However, those two issues aside, the plot was a good one. A stranger (Van Johnson) shows up at a homestead right after the Civil War. The homestead is owned by supporters of the Confederacy, headed by veteran character actor Thomas Mitchell. And there's his wife (Selena Royle), lovely daughter (Janet Leigh in her first film role), and young son (Dean Stockwell). The stranger doesn't let his sympathies with the North be known, but he begins working at the homestead of his own volition. To be honest, it was pretty clear right from the very start that this stranger knew the homesteader's son who died in the war, and that he would eventually wed the daughter. But, there's a lot of interesting story in between your realization that's what will happen and when it does actually happen. The Civil War may be over, but the animosity between Northern and Southern sympathizers in Missouri isn't, and that fuels terrorism and mistrust in the settlement.
Van Johnson is "satisfactory " here. He doesn't ruin the film by any means, but it's too far outside his typical casting for me to feel comfortable about him here. Thomas Mitchell is mostly pretty good here, although there were occasional scenes where I felt he sort of flubbed it. He seemed to old for the part, although he was actually only 55...just right for the role. He certainly needed his eyebrows trimmed!!!!! I actually found that quite distracting. Janet Leigh, not one of my favorites, was actually very good here in her first film role. We don't see Marshall Thompson as the son until a major flashback toward the end of the film; I usually liked him in his younger years. THe best acting here is actually done by Selena Royle, who plays the mother. Royle was once a real-life love interest of Spencer Tracy. She really very strong here. The young son is played by Dean Stockwell, who was one of the great child actors of the era, although he doesn't have a lot to do here, other than being present. There are a number of other famed character actors here that you'll recognize, including Guy Kibbee.
The worst part of the film was the fist fight, which was waaaaaaaaaaaaay over-choreographed. Nevertheless, I'm glad I watched this film...once...but I don't think I'd want to see it again. It does show a side of the post-Civil War era that is not often covered in film.
Recommended with reservations.