Das Tal der Leidenschaften

Half backed shenanigans down plantation way. A story of a wealthy family of farmers who wish to remain separate from the insanity of the Civil War and the fiery minx who is the eldest daughter of said family.

More interesting for what it represented to its leading lady than for how the film turned out. When Susan Hayward landed in Hollywood after being spotted in a magazine advertisement she was still Edythe Marrenner a green kid from Brooklyn who along with a flock of other young hopefuls tested for the role of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind. Obviously she didn't get the part and if you've ever seen her test it's obvious she was nowhere near ready. However it planted the seed for her desire to if not play Scarlett then at least play a Southern belle.

Within a short time she was discovered by producer Walter Wanger who recognized her potential and through the years carefully cultivated her career eventually making the film which won her the Oscar, I Want to Live! Along the way, about a decade after her initial GWTW test, Wagner developed this mint julep mediocrity for her to fulfill her dream. The thing is it's an odd choice to achieve that goal. Her character, the interestingly named Morna Dabney, after making a memorable entrance disappears for great swathes of the film's running time, first through infirmity and then being removed from the main action of the story for most of the climax. When the camera does train itself on her she is breathtaking, at the peak of her beauty in gorgeous Technicolor but the script hands her a confused character to play, one minute pining for the lout who runs off with her hussy of a sister, a young and lovely Julie London who is given little to do, the next passionate about Van Heflin playing another murkily defined role. Around the edges of the story are Boris Karloff ludicrously cast as an Indian and Ward Bond who by the end is hamming it up to the nth degree.

This is beautifully produced but a moderate affair. However for fans of Miss Hayward it's worth watching once but she has many much better movies in her filmography.

Nine years after losing the role of Scarlett in GWTW, Susan Hayward got her chance to play a Southern belle in 'Tap Roots'. While her emoting is more than sufficient, the weak script cannot live up to the expensive trappings and handsome production values of this minor technicolor epic from Universal.

Van Heflin, a fine actor, is a dashing newspaper publisher involved with the saucy heroine, as are her brother (Richard Long), an Indian who practices primitive cures (Boris Karloff), and her sister (Julie London). Against a Civil War background in Mississippi, the cliches are all there--and for good measure there's even a fire that destroys a plantation. If you're expecting another GWTW, forget it. It's simply an enjoyable Civil War romance photographed in lush technicolor and designed to showcase Susan Hayward's ability to play a vixenish Southern belle. For added interest, Ward Bond is featured in a strong supporting role--just as he was in GWTW.

Summing up: average entertainment but nothing spectacular.

1948's "Tap Roots" has been described as a poor man's "Gone with the Wind," and that pretty much sums up the simplistic plot, with Van Heflin and Susan Hayward supplying the love interest. As Hoab Dabney, patriarch of the Lebanon Valley in Mississippi, Ward Bond enjoys one of his most prominent movie roles, ably assisted by the scene stealing Boris Karloff, surprisingly cast as Choctaw Indian medicine man Tishomingo, equally adept at healing as he is wielding a mean whip. The slave-owning Dabneys decide to stay neutral as the Civil War gets underway, rousing the townsmen to defy the Confederates, regardless of the consequences (Jonathan Hale has one scene as General Joseph Johnston). By this time, Karloff made infrequent returns to the studio that made him a star (ending with 1953's "Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"), and his casting was most definitely inspired by his recent portrayal of Guyasuta, Chief of the Senecas, in Cecil B. De Mille's "Unconquered." The darkly-complected actor had played a multitude of Native Americans, mostly villainous, during the silent era, but had only these two roles since the advent of talkies (his only sound Western was 1930's "The Utah Kid").

When the South secedes from the union, starting the Civil War, plantation owner Hoab Dabney (Ward Bond) declares that his land, encompassing the large Lebanon Valley in Mississippi, will not join in, and will be a free land where other like minded farmers can settle and ride out the war in peace. His daughters Morna (Susan Hayward) and Aven (Julie London) both pine for the same man, loyal Confederate officer Clay MacIvor (Whitfield Connor), while Hoab's chief lieutenant, newspaperman Keith Alexander (Van Heflin) has eyes for Morna. Eventually things reach a reckoning, and lives and loves are lost and won.

There's a lot of nice outdoor cinematography to be seen, and the production design is good, with detailed sets and authentic costumes. Heflin seems like an odd casting choice for the womanizing, pistol-packing Alexander, who seems more in the Clark Gable or William Holden vein. Heflin isn't bad, though, and he holds his own among some big scenery chewers,like Ward Bond and Susan Hayward. I watched this for Karloff, who plays a Choctaw Indian and loyal family retainer. His slightly lisping, British-accented voice seems odd for a Mississippi born-and-raised native, but if you roll with it, he does a good job. It's certainly one of the more interesting characters Karloff played around this time. The film's literary roots are apparent in an abundance of characters, themes and subplots, not all of which get enough attention in the script. A fun bit of trivia: Julia London took time off while filming this to elope with Jack Webb in Vegas.

Set in 1860s Missisippi with the prosperous Dabney family , founders of a rich plantation in Levington . The first founder was the proud grandfather Big Sam : Russell Simpson , though he remains really faithful to the Union . His son is called Hoab : War Bond and he has two beautiful daughters : Susan Hayward as Morna Debney , Julie London and a son : Richard Long . While war bursts out Hoab attempts to remain neutral and to withdraw the land around his plantation to avoid problems . Hoab gains support from local journalist Keith Alexander : Van Heflin . Grandfather Big Sam and Hoab attempt to keep their family out of the civil war but soon find find themselves much affected by tragic circumstances . They decide not get involved in the war because they believe that this isn't their war , but then things go wrong . Eventually , all of them get involved when their mansion is invaded by the Confederation troops . It is time of war and violence and tragedy reaches the Dabney family. When she lost her lover ... her sister gained one !

A thrilling and excting epic set in early Cvil American War in which both sides are really confronted , as the starring family , The Dabney , remains loyal to Union , while the daughter's boyfriend is an extreme Confederate officer . The films contains a similar plot to most successful "Shenandoah" 1965 by Andrew V McLagen with James Stewart , equally concerning a peaceful family becomes reluctantly involved into the Civil War resulting in fateful consequences . Main and support cast are pretty good . As Van Heflin is nice as the local newspaperman who finds himself in the middle of war and while falling in love for Morna Debney . And Susan Hayward is fine , though overacting at times , as the stubborn heir who suffers an accident being impeded to walk and along the way he is extremely enamored for a Southern officer . In addition, War Bond is the brave father who will stop at nothing to save his children , Boris Karloff plays competently an Indian who attempts to destroy the enemy plans , Russell Collins as the patriarch who vows to remains neutral , Julie London as the beautiful sister who will betray to Morna , besides : Richard Long as a valiente son , Whitfield Connor as the Cofederate Major , Arthur Shields as a Reverend , Rudy Dandridge as a servant , among others .

The motion picture produced in medium budget by Walter Wanger was professionallity directed by George Sherman , though with no much originality , neither enthusism and nor vigour , but there is entertainment enough . Sherman was a prolific artisan who made a long career , directing films of all kinds of genres and with penchant for Western , such as : "Big Jake" , "War Arrow", "Treasure of Pancho Villa" , "War Arrow" , "Tomahawk" , " Comanche Territory" , "The Last of the Badmen", "The Sombrero Kid" , "Santa Fe Stampede" , "Cowboys From Texas" , "Rock Mountain Rangers" , "Covered Wagon Days" , "Frontier Horizon", "Outlaws of Sonora", "Wyoming Outlaw" , "Pals of the Saddle" , "Overland Stage Raiders" , "Three Texas Steers" , "Outlaws of Sonora" , among others . Well worth watching.