The Shepherd of the Hills (1941)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Henry Hathaway

Writers:

Stuart Anthony (writer)
Grover Jones (writer)

Release Date:

18 July 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Fury in the wild Ozarks! Hatred unleashed on the "Trail of the Lonsome Pine"!

Plot:

Young Matt Masters, an Ozark Mountains moonshiner, hates the father he has never seen, who apparently deserted Matt's mother and left her to die...

Plot Keywords:

Remake | Based On Novel

Cast

John Wayne	...	Young Matt
Betty Field	...	Sammy Lane
Harry Carey	...	Daniel Howitt
Beulah Bondi	...	Aunt Mollie
James Barton	...	Old Matt
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Andy Beeler
Marjorie Main	...	Granny Becky
Ward Bond	...	Wash Gibbs
Marc Lawrence	...	Pete
John Qualen	...	Coot Royal
Fuzzy Knight	...	Mr. Palestrom
Tom Fadden	...	Jim Lane
Olin Howland	...	Corky
Dorothy Adams	...	Elvy Royal
Virita Campbell	...	Baby

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #7339)

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since.

Goofs:

Factual errors: It would be quite impossible for Granny Becky (who has been blind her entire life) to be able to instantly recognize the familial similarities between Young Matt and Old Matt right after her eye bandages were removed.

Movie Connections:

Remade as The Shepherd of the Hills (1964)

A lyric piece of film making.

This is John Wayne's first color film and my only complaint is that the cinematographer failed to pick up the unique almost purple color of his eyes!

Taken from a much-loved novel of the time, The Shepard of the Hills tells a simple story exceptionally well.

An older man appears at a cabin door and gives aid without a question as to how the accident happened. He saves a child. He wants to purchase a piece of property and settle down.

The mountain people of the Ozark region do not welcome strangers, yet this man seems to fit in with his quiet ways and his vast knowledge of the outside world most of the mountain people have never seen.

Harry Carey is this quiet man. He is splendid in every scene. John Wayne plays 'Young Matt Matthews'a young man still mourning his mother and who has sworn a blood oath to kill the man responsible, his father.

Betty Field is marvelous as 'Young Matt's' girlfriend. Harry Carey thoughtful and quietly charming at 'Mr. Howard', the Shepard of the Hills, as his new neighbors call him. Beula Bondi is fascinating as 'Aunt Molly' and Margery Main shines as the blind woman that 'Mr. Howard' sends to the city to have her sight restored.

Many of the scenes are extraordinary for their detail and sense of authenticity.

Some are incredibly beautiful. For example, when 'Mr. Howard' meets the young man who was struck by lightning and can no longer speak.

A thoroughly absorbing and skillfully made film well worth watching again and again.