The Yearling (1946)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Clarence Brown

Writers:

Paul Osborn (screenplay)
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (novel)

Release Date:

May 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Tagline:

THRILLS! DRAMA! HEART-THROBS! (reissue print ad - all caps)

Plot:

Jody convinces his parents to allow him to adopt a young deer, but what will happen if the deer misbehaves ?

Plot Keywords:

Deer | Pet | Boy | Death | Farmer

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Ezra 'Penny' Baxter
Jane Wyman	...	Orry Baxter
Claude Jarman Jr.	...	Jody
Chill Wills	...	Buck Forrester
Clem Bevans	...	Pa Forrester
Margaret Wycherly	...	Ma Forrester
Henry Travers	...	Mr. Boyles
Forrest Tucker	...	Lem Forrester
Donn Gift	...	Fodderwing

Runtime:

128 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | South Korea:All | USA:Approved (certificate #11549) (original rating) | USA:G (re-rating) (1971) | Canada:PG (video rating) | West Germany:6 (nf) | Finland:K-10

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

During the ten months of filming, 32 trained animals were used, including five fawns. The fawns needed to be replaced as they aged in order to conform to the description of the title animal. The fawn found by Jody, as he pulls back the foliage, was three days old and had been rescued from a forest fire. Other animals used in filming included 126 deer, 9 black bears, 37 dogs, 53 wild birds, 17 buzzards, 1 owl, 83 chickens, 36 pigs, 8 rattlesnakes, 18 squirrels, 4 horses and 17 raccoons.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jody runs away from home, he is barefoot. While trudging through the swamp, however, he is shown wearing dark sneakers (perhaps for actual protection during filming). Later scenes show him to be barefoot again.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "M*A*S*H: Bombed (#3.15)" (1975)

A Touching & Unforgettable Masterpiece

Just caught this today on the CBC Afternoon Matinee. Amazingly, this is the first time I have seen the film, having read the book in grade school.

All I can say is this a masterpiece, from the writing to the cinematography to the score to the fine performances.

It is always a pleasure to watch the late great Gregory Peck. Like James Stewart, the man exudes class, integrity and kindness. They don't make actors nor films like this anymore.

This is a classic which works on many levels, which will function as a coming of age story for youngsters, and an introspective film for adults about the loss of innocence and the price of responsibility.

I so wish that the whiz kids at Disney and DreamWorks would stop wasting their time and effort on computer animated feel-good trash, and reach into their hearts and make a film this wonderful.