Driftwood

I wish I knew more about Director Alan Dwan: I enjoyed watching the only two films I can distinctly connect to him: TENNESSEE'S PARTNER, with an in form Ronald Reagan, and SLIGHTLY SCARLETT, with John Payne - neither exceptional, both well made.

The same characteristics of fine visual composition, adroit close-ups, and generally pleasant/effective cinematography are brought to DRIFTWOOD under the experienced hand of the great John Alton. My sole qualms lie with the rather uneven script - still, Dwan wisely elected to keep it short, which leaves the quick-minded viewer to fill the blanks (the not so quick will understandably give DRIFTWOOD a low assessment!)

Still, the best part of DRIFTWOOD is the acting: in rampant form with MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET and TOMORROW IS FOREVER fresh entries on her CV, Natalie Wood steals the show with her innocent child's in your face truth-telling approach, having learned many biblical quotes from her grandfather, who dies in her presence at the beginning. A miracle collie dog joins her from a crashed aircraft and she miraculously lands up in the local doctor's house... none other than the kind, handsome Dean Jagger, with beautiful Ruth Warrick at his side, and spinster Charlotte Greenwood ready to impart her surface bitterness, which really conceals a heart of gold. Last, but by no means least, the wonderful Walter Brennan, the only actor to have won three Best Supporting Oscars (but sadly these days the target of a smear campaign labeling him "the most evil man in Hollywood," among other cowardly efforts condemning his opposition to the civil rights movement, as if all should think the same).

DRIFTWOOD deserves praise for its kindhearted, positive approach. I have only just discovered it but hope to rewatch it, and not just once. 8/10.

Fine cast races through second-string drama about an orphaned girl from Bull Frog Springs, Nevada whose Collie dog may hold the answer to an outbreak of Spotted Fever that threatens a homey town. Begins well, with Natalie Wood (spunky with a solemn little face) just fine as the Bible-quoting youngster, but the plot gets all balled-up, spending too much time on the buffoonish town dolts (like a foolish mayor and his bratty son, whose complaints about a dog bite brings the entire town into the courtroom). The subplot about the disease is agonizing, yet not nearly as bad as a second one involving two unmarried women hoping for husbands. The movie rushes along at a fast clip, but it's not very inspiring, original or inventive. ** from ****

When preacher H.B. Warner drops dead during a sermon, reducing the town's population to his great-grand-daughter Natalie Wood, she follows his instructions and heads out to Sodom and Gomorrah, almost getting hit by a crashing plane, being eaten by a wildcat, and rescuing a collie. They are rescued by Dean Jagger, a country doctor, who's living with his foster father, druggist Walter Brennan a small but corrupt town run by Jerome Cowan.

The story roams hither and yonder, involving Rocky Mountain fever, rotten kids, and a story line with plenty of laughs that eventually veers into a serious plot, a lecture on the necessity of getting your children vaccinated, and an over-the-top coincidence that saves the day at the end. It's carried by Dwan's impeccable direction, John Alton's flawless camerawork, and a cast of professionals that includes Ruth Warrick, Charlotte Greenwood, Margaret Hamilton, Hobart Cavanaugh, Alan Napier, Francis Ford.... well, Dwan had worked with everyone and could get them to come in. Lots of fun, and the dog was cute too.

In general, "Driftwood" is an agreeable family film. However, at times, the dialog is really quite stupid and could have improved from a re-write.

The film begins in a virtual ghost town that is occupied by an insane old preacher who spends all his time preaching to his granddaughter (Natalie Wood). Soon, the old guy dies and the kid wanders into to desert where she witnesses a plan crash and adopts a dog that survived the crash. Soon, a nice doctor (Dean Jagger) finds this VERY precocious kid and brings her home. But, things don't go very smoothly (just see the film and you'll know what I mean) and it all culminates with an outbreak of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

My biggest problem was the bizarre dialog spoken by Natalie Wood. She talks like an adult religion professor--which just seems gimmicky and weird--and VERY heavy-handed. It also didn't help that he script was, at times, very saccharine. It's a shame, as the film had many good moments as well as good performances by Jagger and Walter Brennan. Not terrible but rather flawed. And, I should mention that the film features Wood saying 'Beelzebub' (an Old Testament word for Satan) about 9000 times. Again, no child talks like that!

By the way, early in the film you'll see a delivery boy. Look closely, it's Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer of the Our Gang fame.

I must have sat through this film at least twenty times, and cannot say that I was bored on any of them. My girls insisted I record it from them (on VHS) when it was on about 25 years ago, and then proceeded to watch it every Saturday morning for the next 6 months. It may be rather twee nd cute, but even now "daisy's ... they're my favourite flower" still evokes a smile from them and from my wife Predictable, happy ending - but then what else do you want from a children's film? Natalie Wood performs very ably, and the other main characters are highly satisfactory, including the lady who played the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz. Highly recommended for those with small girls, and I wish they would issue it on DVD