The Trail of the Lonesome Pine
Directed by Henry Hathaway
Written by Grover Jones et al based on the novel by John Fox, Jr.
1936/USA
Walter Wanger Productions/Paramount Pictures
First viewing
[box] “There were tiny drops along the roots of her shining hair for the climb had been steep and now the shadow of disappointment darkened her eyes.” — John Fox, Jr. – The Trail of the Lonesome Pine[/box]
On tap today is a Sylvia Sidney double-bill. The first one was the first Technicolor movie filmed on location. It had more going for it than just the color gimmick.
The Falins and the Tollivers are uneducated backwoods people who have been engaged in a fatal feud for generation. The story is told from the perspective of the Tollivers. Judd Tolliver (Fred Stone), the patriarch, perpetuates the conflict while his wife Melissa (Beulah Bondi) bewails it. They live with their daughter Judy (Sylvia Sidney), young son Buddy (Spanky McFarland) and nephew Dave (Henry Fonda). All expect Judy to marry Dave, who loves her dearly, but Judy apparently has more sisterly feelings toward him.
Into the mountains comes Jack Hale (Fred MacMurray) who wants to buy up land from both families for transporting coal. The families agree but soon enough “civilization”, is disrupting their lives, Jack is attracting Judy, and the scene of battle is shifting from the woods to the mining site. A tragedy puts Judy’s choice between Jack and Dave into stark perspective.
Despite some moments of eye-rolling melodrama, I really enjoyed this. The conflict within the woman about her feelings for the two men felt very real. All the performances are excellent and Henry Hathaway is wonderful with keeping the action moving. Fred Stone surely did not make enough movies. Although this has a modern-day setting and does not take place in the West, it is very Western in feeling.
Fuzzy Knight singing “A Melody from the Sky”, Best Song Academy Award nominee for 1936
