Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (1945)

Director:

Roy Rowland

Writers:

George Victor Martin (novel)
Dalton Trumbo (writer)

Release Date:

September 1945 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Plot:

Life in small town Wisconsin. Selma and Arnold, aged 7 and 5, pal around together between their two farms...

Plot Keywords:

Editor | School Teacher | Barn | Wisconsin | Calf

Cast

Edward G. Robinson	...	Martinius Jacobson
Margaret O'Brien	...	Selma Jacobson
James Craig	...	Nels 'Editor' Halverson
Frances Gifford	...	Viola Johnson
Agnes Moorehead	...	Bruna Jacobson
Morris Carnovsky	...	Bjorn Bjornson
Jackie 'Butch' Jenkins	...	Arnold Hanson
Sara Haden	...	Mrs. Bjorn Bjornaon
Greta Granstedt	...	Mrs. Lars Faraassen
Dorothy Morris	...	Ingeborg Jensen
Arthur Space	...	Pete Hanson, Arnold's Dad
Elizabeth Russell	...	Mrs. Kola Hanson
Louis Jean Heydt	...	Lars Faraassen
Charles Middleton	...	Kurt Jensen, Ingeborg's Dad
Francis Pierlot	...	Fuller Junction's Minister

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:S | USA:Approved | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Rowland V. Lee Ranch - Fallbrook Avenue, Canoga Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The trailer for this film includes a specially shot scene of 'Margaret O'Brien' visiting with Spencer Tracy. Tracy tells the child star he never wants to make a movie with her because she's too good for him!

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the opening scene, during the two-shot of Selma Jacobson and Arnold Hanson, he can be seen mouthing her lines as she says them.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Gorilla My Dreams (1948)

Nurturing Those Tender Grapes

One of Edward G. Robinson's most beloved films is this one in which he totally reverses type and becomes the wise father of Margaret O'Brien. Our Vines Have Tender Grapes and the tender grapes referred to are the children in their innocence, Margaret O'Brien and Jackie Jenkins.

In this rural Wisconsin town where few even have electricity, the settlers are mostly Norwegian immigrants who did like our American Midwest climate because it was so similar to Norway. They are a tight knit group and are a reserved bunch. But as the film shows, during a crisis they do come together.

O'Brien and Jenkins are an appealing pair of youngsters. Their childhood is a whole lot like Tom Sawyer's and Huck Finn's. Of course in one instance they try duplicating something Tom and Huck did that nearly turns tragic.

Agnes Moorehead also shows what a capable player she is in playing Robinson's wife and O'Brien's mother. I'm sure she was grateful for not playing an evil woman for a change.

There is a subplot involving a romance of editor James Craig and new school teacher Frances Gifford. Gifford is first quite resistant to the town, she's a big city girl, but she warms up to them and Craig.

But the film really belongs to Robinson and O'Brien. Robinson has a tough fight, but he more than holds his own in scenes with the little moppet. Sad he didn't do more films like this.

Our Vines Have Tender Grapes is a timeless classic, I think children and families of any age will identify and love it.