The Proud Rebel

Alan Ladd plays a widower whose wife died in a fire during the Civil War. His young son (played by his real life son, David Ladd) has not been able to speak after he saw his mother die. Alan Ladd's character is trying to find a doctor to help his son. Ladd ends up with a thirty day jail sentence after being unfairly fined for a brawl which the two sons of an ambitious sheep rancher (wonderfully played by Dean Jagger) intentionally initiate. Olivia DeHavilland is a local unmarried woman who sees the predicament Alan Ladd and his son are in, and she pays the fine so that Ladd will not have to spend thirty days in jail, provided he works it off for thirty days on her farm. Michael Curtiz did a fantastic job of directing this beautiful film. Alan Ladd, Olivia DeHavilland and David Ladd are all terrific. This movie is a bit different than Ladd's classic film,"Shane", although there are some similarities. Ladd is once again the strong silent type, although he is more human in this film. David Ladd is perfectly cast as his son who can't speak. Olivia DeHavilland has just the right touch as a lonely but strong woman who quickly gets attached to the two new men in her life. The chemistry between the three leads in this film is tough to beat. The supporting actors are very good, including Cecil Kellaway, Dean Jagger, the ubiquitous film star John Carradine and Harry Dean Stanton. This movie works as a family film, which is in the end uplifting. The photography is just beautiful in this movie. "The Proud Rebel" is definitely an overlooked minor classic in the same genre as "Old Yeller", "The Yearling" and even "Shane." It has stood the test of time very well and I truly expect it will begin to grow in stature if it is shown on cable channels and available on DVD. Well worth watching for fans of the Western and Family Film genre. 90/100. Buy it if you have kids! Heck, buy it even if you don't!

This is the perfect movie-for-the whole-family which respects its audience, which is rarely the case in today's production aimed at the children's market which substitute heart and soul for special effects .

The screenplay is derivative and looks like a cross between "Shane " and "Lassie come home" ,but it does not matter ;there's a good chemistry between Alan Ladd and his son in real life :the boy does a very good job , particularly in the scene when he searches the empty farm ; and what a pleasure to see the great Olivia De Havilland directed by Curtiz after all these years !

The movie concerns a father (Alan Ladd), a Confederate veteran , and his mute son (David Ladd, in real life too) who after framing impeachment by a judge (Henry Hull) he finds himself facing a 30-day jail sentence when he's unfairly accused of starting a brawl in a small town . A local spinster (Olivia De Havilland) pays his fine , as father and son find shelter in a ranch , providing that he works it off on her farm . The veteran is searching for a doctor who can cure his son , as the little boy suffers the emotional impact of the words he longed to tell them . Meanwhile , he soon finds himself involved in the struggle to keep her ranch from a local landowner and they'll have to confront a shepherd family (Dean Jagger and Harry Dean Stanton) and taking on a lot of dangers .

In the film there are glamorous landscapes , family drama , shootouts and agreeable feeling . This is a tale that reaches far and wide as the human life , being based on a story titled "Journal of Linnett Moore¨ written by James Edward Grant . The movie talks upon typical western old theme: fights between settlers and cattlemen . The final showdown amongst the protagonists and enemies is exciting . Runtime film is adjusted, one hour and half approx., it is neither dreary , nor tiring but enjoyable.

Alan Ladd's interpretation is top-notch likeness his son David Ladd (future marriage to Cheryl Ladd and father of Jordan Ladd) . Olivia De Havilland is enticing , gentle and sweet . Support cast is awesome , as Dean Jagger , John Carradine , Cecil Kellaway , Mary Wickes and Harry Dean Stanton (Paris, Texas) , an outstanding actor with a long career that today continues . Ted Mc Cord cinematography is riveting and glamorous . Jerome Moross musical score is fascinating , similar to soundtrack he composed in ¨Big country¨ deemed to be the best western score along with ¨ The magnificent seven¨ . The motion picture well produced by Samuel Goldwyn Jr was compellingly directed by Michael Curtiz . The yarn will appeal to western buffs and sentimental plot lovers . Rating : Good , better than average . Well catching .

I have long complained because there must have been a million western movies made over the years by Hollywood and practically all of them are variations on the exact Fsame half dozen (or less) themes. As a result, most westerns are repetitive and dull. Fortunately, this one is a bit different--with enough that is not familiar to make it worth viewing.

The film begins with a father and son (Alan Ladd and his real life son, David) traveling across the country. They are Southerners but have left Atlanta following the Civil War in order to locate a doctor who might be able to cure the boy. It seems that following witnessing his mother's death the child has been mute.

In one of the towns, the father meets up with a couple dirt-bags who pick a fight with him. However, it is Ladd himself who is convicted of assault and is sentenced to spend 30 days in jail or pay $30--which he just doesn't have. A local spinster (Olivia de Havilland) takes pity on them and offers to pay the fine if the father comes to her farm to work off the debt.

Once on this farm, it's obvious Olivia's having problems with the same dirt-bags that attacked Ladd earlier in the film. In this case, the men are trying to force her to sell them her struggling farm. Along the way, Alan comes to her aid in this struggle and it's also obvious that some real affection is forming--and it's hardly a surprise when the two decide to stay.

While the story is not monumental in scope, it's a nice story about people. It helped that an exceptional director (Michael Curtiz) and many excellent actors appeared in the film. In addition to the main characters, veteran character actors such as Cecil Kellaway, Dean Jagger, Henry Hull and Harry Dean Stanton appeared in the film as well--giving it nice color. Plus the writing was very good and made for an appealing film.

By the way, the sign language that David Ladd uses throughout the film isn't perfect, but it IS essentially correct. So, when he is trying to tell Alan that there is a fire, that IS what he is signing. It's actually funny, but several times during the movie the dad didn't seem to know what the kid was saying--and I clearly understood and felt like yelling out what he was signing! I especially liked when the boy was trying to tell de Havilland how much he liked her but no one seemed to understand that he was saying how much he liked her. The film makers COULD have just as easily had the kid just make some nonsense signs and hardly anyone every would have known. It's nice to see that they tried. Now here is the rub, however, the DVD is NOT captioned at all!!! So, deaf people who COULD understand the boy cannot watch the film and enjoy it.

Also, while not a huge mistake, in one scene late in the film the three leads are in town and it's pouring down rain--so much so that they need to stay there until it clears. Yet, when they arrive back at the farm, it's 100% dry--the same dessert-like place it's always been with dirt, dirt and more dirt.

A very nice classic movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood. I disagree with another reviewer that the film is too slow. It develops and moves along fine. The trouble with todays youth, is that everything has too spill out in a minute flat as nearly everyone under 25 has A.D.H.D or is so pumped up on energy drinks. They are so impatient and snappy. That there are no real craftsmen anywhere or in any field nowadays. It is often said all new movies have 1 dimension characters. Well if you pace it slower and show the back round of the characters. You can have fully developed and believable characters. Alan Ladd did a great portrayal of the character, as he did with the Shane character in the movie of the same name, made 5 years earlier and also a western. The actor dosen't act, he becomes the character. The rest of the cast were superb as well. Olivia De Havaland played such a wholesome women. That you'd want to marry her knowing you'd last forever with her. Alan's son played his son in the film, and playing a mute boy made you think that maybe he couldn't speak. He later of course married Cheryl Ladd from Charlie's Angels series. A nice story without CGI effects and explosions and lots of unnecessary sex.

These are storybook stories that embed in peoples minds. Films from this era have been remembered for 70-80 years. How many films from last year can you recall.