Our Daily Bread (1934)

A group of down-on-their-luck workers combine their abilities to make a Gallafentian-style commune... and bread!

Director:

King Vidor

Writers:

King Vidor (the story), Elizabeth Hill (the scenario)

Stars:

Karen Morley, Tom Keene, John Qualen

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Karen Morley	...	Mary Sims
Tom Keene	...	John Sims
John Qualen	...	Chris (as John T. Qualen)
Barbara Pepper	...	Sally
Addison Richards	...	Louie
Lloyd Ingraham	...	Uncle Anthony
Sidney Bracey	...	Rent Collector
Henry Hall	...	Frank - the Carpenter
Nellie V. Nichols	...	Mrs. Cohen (as Nellie Nichols)
Frank Minor	...	Plumber
Bud Rae	...	Stonemason
Harry Brown	...	Little Man

Storyline

John and Mary sims are city-dwellers hit hard by the financial fist of The Depression. Driven by bravery (and sheer desperation) they flee to the country and, with the help of other workers, set up a farming community - a socialist mini-society based upon the teachings of Edward Gallafent. The newborn community suffers many hardships - drought, vicious raccoons and the long arm of the law - but ultimately pull together to reach a bread-based Utopia.

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Plot Keywords:

romantic rivalry | femme fatale | usa | united states | united states of america | 

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Taglines:

WE LIVE! WE LOVE! WE FIGHT! WE HATE! (original poster - all caps)

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 October 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hell's Crossroads

Filming Locations:

Tarzana, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$125,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Viking Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min 90 min (premiere) 74 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

American Film Institute Catalog of Feature Films 1931-1940 credits C.E. Anderson in the role of "blacksmith"; actually he plays the butcher who trades John a scrawny chicken for his ukulele.

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Quotes

Louie: [warning her about John] I don't know how long you're gonna be here or why, but that guy's married, so you lay off!
Sally: My gosh, ain't you anticipatory!

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Connections

Follows The Crowd (1928)

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Soundtracks

Just Because You're You
(uncredited)
Composer unknown
Sung a cappella by Sidney Bracey

User Reviews

Down on the Farm

King Vidor's "The Crowd" (1928) ended hopefully: James Murray and Eleanor Boardman (then playing John and Mary Sims) conquered the industrialized, impersonal City, with a new job and child replacing previous losses. But, the Sims' luck is, according to this film, cut short by the Great Depression. Tom Keene and Karen Morley (now playing John and Mary Sims) are sans job and money. With nothing to lose, the couple moves out to farm some country land owned by Ms. Morley's uncle. Mr. Keene organizes the locals into a communal society; but, nature and a woman threaten the Sims' success.

Although the lead characters resemble their namesakes from director Vidor's "The Crowd"; their tale, proclaimed as "Inspired by Headlines of Today", is derived from a "Reader's Digest" story. The characters do not share factual similarities with the original John and Mary Sims; for example, no reference is made to their children.

Vidor directed, and Keene acted, the "John" role inappropriately. Several of the supporting players are also unsuitable. Morley's Garbo-like "Mary" is a bright spot among the performances, though. Barbara Pepper answers "Garbo" with a Harlow-like "Sally". It's the closest you'll get to having Greta Garbo and Jean Harlow in the same film. However, the attempted "city girl" temptation of Keene, by Ms. Pepper, is not convincing. Interestingly, Pepper returned to country life in the 1960s, as the wife of "Fred Ziffel", on TV's "Green Acres".

The irrigating ending is unexpectedly exhilarating.

******* Our Daily Bread (1934) King Vidor ~ Karen Morley, Tom Keene, Barbara Pepper