One More Spring

It's rather strange, but if you watch films made during the Great Depression (the end of 1929 until WWII), you'd hardly know that there was massive unemployment, bread lines and homelessness. For every film that talked about the plight of the poor (such as "Wild Boys of the Road" or "The Grapes of Wrath"), there were hundreds featuring rich, well-fed and happy people.

In the case of "One More Spring", you perhaps understand why Hollywood avoided showing the Depression....as folks stayed away from the film in droves. Director Henry King talked about this years later, as apparently folks went to the movies to avoid thinking about the bleakness of the era.

The story is about three homeless folks who are out of work and have no place to live. The first two, Jaret and Morris (Warner Baxter and Walter Wolf King), meet and try sleeping in the park...but are told by police to keep moving. But they fortunately meet a working stiff who keeps his tools in a large shed in the park...and he invites them to live there in this shack. But things become a bit complicated when Jaret meets up with Elizabeth (Janet Gaynor) and she, too, is homeless and hungry...so he invites her to come live with him and Morris. What's next? See the film to find out for yourself...and find out about the most unusual fourth addition to this cozy 'family'.

While I can understand folks during the Depression not wanting to see this, the film i not all hopelessness and despair and ends on some very positive notes. This, combined with a lovely script and nice acting (particularly by Baxter) make this a joy to watch....well worth seeing.