★ 7 / 10
A family are quite literally tuckered out trying
CinemaSerf
A family are quite literally tuckered out trying to farm for cotton when husband "Sam" (Zachary Scott) and his wife "Nona" (Betty Field) decide it's time to…
A family are quite literally tuckered out trying to farm for cotton when husband "Sam" (Zachary Scott) and his wife "Nona" (Betty Field) decide it's time to move with their two young children and start a life for themselves somewhere else. They alight on a rocky farmstead that centres on a ramshackle old house and decide that they are going to see if they can grow cotton there. Thing is, the terrain isn't ideal and their neighbour (J. Carrol Naish) is not the friendliest, so their travails are never going to be easy. Things are not helped when their young son "Jot" (Jay Gilpin) starts to suffer from the effects of malnutrition, and the doctor prescribes the ultimate in luxuries - a cow and some vegetables! Their work is all manual, they have none of the modern day tractors and seeding equipment and so, coupled with disease and a storm of almost biblical proportions, they don't have their problems to seek. Can they overcome these challenges, though? This is one of those stories about the human spirit. The couple are determined to face down the hardships and they get help and hindrance from those nearby as they struggle to fit into their new surroundings. It's probably Beulah Bondi's old "Granny' who steals the acting plaudits as she hitches up her skirts and rules the roost grumpily whilst the family wrestle with the rocks and the roof. Scott and Field gel quite well, too, as their work puts quite a strain on their family with no end in sight. It's perhaps his friend "Tim" (Charles Kemper) who best sums up their chosen lifestyle as something akin to: work yourself to the bone, year after year, then die! The production is quickly paced and effective at showing us just how tough subsistence farming was for the cotton picking population of hardy folks, and this has an authenticity to it that's worth a watch.
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★ 7 / 10
Above average drama with superb acting and thought-provoking script
ma-cortes
An employee named Sam Tucker (Zachary Scott)frequently working for others is hired some land and he decides along with his family, -his wife (Betty Field)…
An employee named Sam Tucker (Zachary Scott)frequently working for others is hired some land and he decides along with his family, -his wife (Betty Field), granny (Beulah Bondi)and two sons - attempt farming for themselves. The family finds hardships on their way and they'll have to fight against the elements,ills, poorness, distresses and a selfish neighbor (J. Carroll Naish) living with his daughter (Nash) and niece (Norman Lloyd) .This is a rural drama about a survival fight amid all disgraces and terrible elements. It's a naturalistic drama splendidly played and magnificently staged. From the tale 'Hold Autumn in your hand' by George Sessions Perry and writing by William Faulkner though he appears uncredited. It's proceeded in similar style to ¨Grapes of wrath¨ by John Ford based on John Steinbeck novel . First rate performances by all star cast. Special mention to Belulah Bondi as sympathetic and and grumpy granny. And Norman Lloyd as roguish nephew, he's a veteran player still acting , who joined the original company of Orson Welles-John Houseman Mercury Theatre and after that he was hired to Hollywood to play as secondary actor in Alfred Hitchcock movie and other ones and made him an associate producer. Neo-realist and evocative cinematography by Lucien Andriot. Sensible and imaginative musical score by Werner Janssen.The flick is excellently directed by Jean Renoir. He said about 'The Southerner' gave him more pleasure than any of his other Hollywood work. Renoir was voted the 12th greatest director of all time . Furthermore, Orson Welles frequently cited him as the greatest movie director of all time. He was son of the famous impressionist painter Auguste Renoir. After his French classics (Rules of game 1939, Human beast 38, La Marseillase 36, A day in the country 36, Boudu saved from drowning 32), he was brought to USA by American producers, directing awesome films in Hollywood (Woman on the beach 1947 , The diary of a chambermaid 46, The Southerner , The land is mine 43, Swamp water 1941). Later on, he returned to France , going on film-making classic movies (Elusive corporal 1962, Picnic on the grass 59, Testament of Dr Cordelier 59, Golden coach 52, The river 1951). Rating : Better than average, well worth watching.
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battling neighbors and nature