Tobacco Road (1941)

Hillbilly family life in 1941 rural Georgia.

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

Erskine Caldwell (based on the novel by), Jack Kirkland (stage play)

Stars:

Charley Grapewin, Gene Tierney, Marjorie Rambeau

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charley Grapewin	...	Jeeter
Marjorie Rambeau	...	Sister Bessie
Gene Tierney	...	Ellie May
William Tracy	...	Dude Lester
Elizabeth Patterson	...	Ada Lester
Dana Andrews	...	Captain Tim
Slim Summerville	...	Peabody
Ward Bond	...	Lov
Grant Mitchell	...	George Payne
Zeffie Tilbury	...	Grandma
Russell Simpson	...	Chief of Police
Spencer Charters	...	County Clerk
Irving Bacon	...	Teller
Harry Tyler	...	Auto Dealer
Charles Halton	...	Mayor

Storyline

Shiftless Jeeter Lester and his family of hillbilly stereotypes live in a rural backwater where their ancestors were once wealthy planters. Their slapstick existence is threatened by a bank's plans to take over the land for more profitable farming; subplots involve the affairs and marriages of son Dude and daughter Ellie May.

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Plot Keywords:

plantation | trees | jalopy | flat tire | spare tire | 

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Taglines:

AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF SENSATIONAL STAGE SUCCESS...IT'S ON THE SCREEN AT LAST! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 March 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

El camino del tabaco

Filming Locations:

Encino, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$1,900,000, 31 December 1973

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Broadway play by Jack Kirkland based on Erskine Caldwell's novel opened 4 December 1933 and set a record for longevity on Broadway when it closed on 31 May 1941 after 3,281 performances. It was revived on Broadway twice in the next two years, bring its total running time there to nearly ten years (1933-1943). Opened at the Theatre Masque and then moved to the 48th Street Theatre followed by the Forrest Theatre for the original production. The play was revived in 1942, 1943 and 1950. The original Broadway production is the seventeenth longest running show ever as of February, 2013.

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Goofs

When Dude angrily pushes Jeter out of the way from his new car, the hood is up. When he drives away, the hood is down.

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Quotes

Clerk: Look here, son, what do you mean to marry a woman that old? You ought marry a girl your own age.
Sister Bessie: You're trying talk him out of it and I'll start a service right here now.
Dude Lester: Dunno, Sister Bessie there, she sweet-talked me into it.
Clerk: How's that boy gonna support you?
Sister Bessie: The Lord will provide.
Clerk: I'm afraid that ain't gonna be soon, because he ain't gonna get married through this office!

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Connections

Spoofed in Tabasco Road (1957)

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Soundtracks

(Gimme Dat) Old Time Religion
(uncredited)
Traditional spiritual
Sung a cappella by Marjorie Rambeau and Charley Grapewin

User Reviews

One-of-a-kind picture

Director John Ford was certainly an odd duck; the stories he was attracted to ran the gamut from "The Searchers" to "The Quiet Man" to this one, a head-scratcher of a tragicomedy based on Erskine Caldwell's book and Jack Kirkland's popular stage-adaptation. Eccentric Georgia farm family is threatened with poverty when the bank forecloses on their land, leading patriarch Jeeter to use his wiles in hopes of raising $100 for a year's worth of rent. Movie swings wildly from hick-slapstick to poignant drama; however, once you've had a chance to get attuned to Ford's rhythm, it's a pretty terrific ride. Charley Grapewin gives an Oscar-caliber performance (he wasn't even nominated!), and it's fun to see Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews looking very youthful three years before "Laura". Good show! *** from ****