The Green Promise (1949)

Director:

William D. Russell

Writers:

Monte Collins (screenplay)
Monte Collins (story)

Release Date:

22 March 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A stubborn old farmer won't listen to any of his neighbors about how to improve the efficiency of his farm with modern methods...

Plot Keywords:

Farm | Beautiful Woman | Color In Title

Cast

Marguerite Chapman	...	Deborah Matthews
Walter Brennan	...	Mr. Matthews
Robert Paige	...	David Barkley
Natalie Wood	...	Susan Anastasia Matthews
Ted Donaldson	...	Phineas Matthews
Connie Marshall	...	Abigail Matthews
Robert Ellis	...	Peter 'Buzz' Wexford
Jeanne LaDuke	...	Jessie Wexford
Irving Bacon	...	Julius Larkins
Milburn Stone	...	Rev. Jim Benton
Geraldine Wall	...	Mrs. Wexford

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Sweden:Btl

Company:

Glenn McCarthy Productions

Trivia:

Marguerite Chapman replaced Diana Lynn.

Natalie And Her Lambs

The Green Promise is a commercial for the 4-H clubs which despite the ever shrinking number of family farms there are still enough kids growing up on same to provide a spring of new members. But this film is a time capsule which shows some of the problems of rural life around 1949. A lot of those same problems exist today because the things that Mother Nature can throw at you when you make a living from the land don't change at all.

Walter Brennan plays a serious version of his later Grandpappy Amos McCoy role. He's the father of four children, the grownup Marguerite Chapman and youngsters Ted Donaldson, Connie Marshall and the youngest Natalie Wood. Brennan is old fashioned and stubborn and not willing to listen to advice about new agricultural methods. Especially when they come from smart alecky young county agent Robert Paige. Paige knows his stuff, but he's a bit too sure of himself to suit Brennan and Chapman in the romance department. Of course she comes around in every way.

The star here is young Natalie Wood and she plays the part like a young Margaret O'Brien. In fact when I tuned the film on I wasn't sure I wasn't watching Margaret O'Brien, the only clue that puzzled me was that Ted Donaldson was too old be an older brother for O'Brien. Young Natalie is sweet and engaging and I defy anyone not to empathize with her concern for her young black lambs whom she is raising as her 4-H project.

The kids from 4-H pitch in with helping hands (that is one of the four Hs after all) to save the farm from the elements and the stupidity of man which I won't go into. All in all they're wholesome All American kids and a real advertisement for the group.

And The Green Promise is also an advertisement for the 4-H clubs in the USA. It's a nice family film without great production values and Natalie Wood is exceptional.