fluxable

Here is an unusual story about a girl and her father, who take refuge in the Georgia swamps as they try to evade a linching mob. The father (excellently played by Walter Brennan) had been wrongly accused of murder in a small neighboring town. The girl (who turns out to be the beautiful -and quite athletic - Jean Peters)grows up in the swamps, away from civilization, until a man (handsome Jeff Hunter) arrives at their campsite looking for his stray dog. Of course the two young actors eventually fall in love, but even this is believable and interwined into the action and adventure of this highly intersting film. Director Jean Negulesco offers us a well balanced and magnificently edited film that deals with prejudices and lies - which can be abundant in any small town. Very well acted by Peters, Hunter, et all...who award us with quite authentic southern accents, for a change.

Although heavy set Paul Douglas is no match for a pretty young thing like Jean Peters, the movie works. Peter Price, the wise-cracking youngster - whom Douglas hires to pass as his son in order to get Peters's attention - is probably the funniest kid that has ever appeared on the big screen. There's a well choreographed musical number, which Miss Peters and some eight men in tux perform. Telling too much about the movie may give away the element of surprise at the end. It takes place in the roaring twenties, complete with gangsters and molls. Arthur Treacher does his famous butler, Joan Davis is quite funny, and Cesar Romero (who played the main character in the original version TALL DARK AND HANDSOME) is great as Doublas's foe. Even the romantic elements are a joy to watch and make you laugh. I hope Fox markets this one on VHS soon.

Jean Peters, as has been reported by 20th Centyury Fox,was scheduled to play the part Marilyn Monroe played in NIAGARA. Anne Baxter was hired to play the part Jean Peters eventually played, but she became pregnant. Peters replaced Baxter and Monroe was hired for the role of the sexy wife (intended for Jean Peters.) Having seen Miss Peters in PICK-UP ON SOUTH STREET (with Dick Widmark), there's no doubt the actress could have done a tremendous job with Marilyn's part. The picture, nontheless, is full of suspense and director Henry Hathaway gives us some fabulous panoramic views of the falls. Marilyn is okay in this one, and Cotten does his best, but it is Jean Peters - in the less enticing role of the newlywed - that looks the most beautiful and does the greatest acting job on this one. Try to catch it on one of the classic film channels. It's worth seeing!