This just might be the creepiest movie I've seen to date, and not even for reasons posted in some of the other viewer comments on this board. The scene that got to me was the wedding ceremony near the end of the story with old Jake Bolby (Warner Richmond) all but licking his chops to get little Jennie Colton (Shirley Mills) home for consummation of the marriage. I don't doubt that stuff like this went on during the era represented, or that it might even be happening today under cover of darkest secrecy, but seeing it on display in this 'educational' format was downright horrific. As with the exploitation drug films of the 1930's, the film makers were attempting to hit the lowest common denominator on the prurient interest scale to make a quick buck and move on to the next subject. It seemed to be a prerequisite with the anti-drug films to include a dead body in the story for graphic punctuation, and so it was here too; impending child bride weddings cause suffering, pain, and even death.
Now on the other hand, I didn't seem to have as much a problem with Jenny's nude swim scene that most other reviewers had. Within the context of the story, it seemed like a natural thing to do at the time, probably the only way these mountain people ever got to take a bath. There was really nothing 'to see' in the version I watched, though I understand the Mill Creek DVD presentation is somewhat less graphic with a couple of missing minutes of footage. I'm almost tempted to go back to see if there was something I missed, but then I'd be part of that low end prurient interest faction, so I think I'll pass.
You know what else was pretty nasty? How about those pigeons dumping on the schoolbooks in the Thunderhead Mountain School classroom? I wonder if there was an exploitation film about the dangers of bird doo?
Now on the other hand, I didn't seem to have as much a problem with Jenny's nude swim scene that most other reviewers had. Within the context of the story, it seemed like a natural thing to do at the time, probably the only way these mountain people ever got to take a bath. There was really nothing 'to see' in the version I watched, though I understand the Mill Creek DVD presentation is somewhat less graphic with a couple of missing minutes of footage. I'm almost tempted to go back to see if there was something I missed, but then I'd be part of that low end prurient interest faction, so I think I'll pass.
You know what else was pretty nasty? How about those pigeons dumping on the schoolbooks in the Thunderhead Mountain School classroom? I wonder if there was an exploitation film about the dangers of bird doo?