Mountain Justice

In spite of its faults, I was really impressed by this movie. Warner made a number of social justice flicks during the thirties, and I thought this was one of the best. Strong performances, tight script and lots of action.

Some people have complained about certain plot points, and it's true that the writers could have made things more believable. And while some of the mountain folk are portrayed sympathetically, over all the script does not paint a flattering picture of the townspeople. My biggest problem with the script is the ending. For most of the film the main character is determined to become a nurse so that she can help her community. At the end she decides to dump all that and become a housewife. I didn't buy it.

Still, this movie really pulled me in, and the tension keeps building right up to the climax. Writers Norman Reilly Raine and Luci Ward do a good job with the characters and situations. Josephine Hutchinson is excellent, and most of the cast is strong. Michael Curtiz keeps the pace brisk. The scenes where the young woman confronts her father are intense and harrowing. I think this movie is one of Curtiz' high points from the thirties, and it's a shame it's not better known.