Freckles

Happened to catch the first part of this 1960 budget adventure film on the Fox Movie channel. It's based on the once very popular turn -of-the- 20th century novel of the same name, by naturalist Gene Stratton- Porter. Her primary playground as a naturalist was the then huge Indiana swamp and quagmire known as the Limberlost, named after a hunter, Limber, who vanished in the swamp. This area was drained around 1915. Although the name Limberlost is retained in this film, clearly the forested area is not a swamp, but rather a mountainous area of mostly conifers. In fact, it is the Bear Valley, north of San Francisco, which has been used as a location in various films, including "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine". This was the second talkie film adaptation of this novel: the first in color, though it doesn't appear to be a very good grade of color. Clearly, the story is set in a contemporary '60s world, with recent motor vehicles and contemporary hair styles, rather than the horse and buggy world of the novel.

Freckles is a freckly, red-haired city-bred, young man, who shows up at a logging camp, inquiring about a possible job. He has no experience relating to logging and is missing his left hand. Hence, his prospects for a job with this outfit would appear nil. However, he lucks out that the boss, John McLean, takes a liking to him. Thus, he is given a chance to serve as a guard for this timbered property. His chief adversary is Duncan and his loggers, who have been a thorn in McLean's side for years. Apparently, Duncan used to log this area before McLean showed up with a claim on it. Freckles spots Duncan's bunch cutting some valuable trees, but McLean's back up is too late to late to catch them. Later, Duncan encounters Freckles alone and tries to convince him that he is the good guy. But Freckles doesn't buy it. Meanwhile, freckles has struck up a friendship with teen Chris Cooper, who lives in that area. But he's hurt when he learns she will be leaving for college, without telling him. He tries to argue that she belongs here, not in some city college, but to no avail. Just before she leaves, Freckles has a firearms battle with Duncan and some of his crew. I don't know the rest of the story.

In the novel, an important theme is that Freckles spent most of his childhood as an orphan, with the nature of his parents and birth uncertain. Thus, he feels unworthy to become Chris's husband, because of his background. I didn't get that impression from the portion of the film I saw.

Dramas relating to logging seem to have been rather rare among Hollywood films. This is the only Hollywood film I know of that deals with the subject of timber rustling, in contrast to the ubiquitous films including livestock rustling or minerals claim jumping. The several other films I'm aware of that center around logging feature problems of loss of aesthetic or spiritual value of a forest of giant trees("The Big Trees"), or conflicts over the damaging environmental effects of clear cutting on steep slopes("Guns of Timberland"). Although star Kirk Douglas rates "The Big Trees" as perhaps his least favorite film role, and Alan Ladd was miscast as the star in "Guns of Timberland". I rate both of these films as clearly more entertaining than the present film.

Historically, timber rustling has often been accidental, involving neighbors and unclear property boundaries, or sometimes intentional cutting on a neighboring property. Unlike in this film, illegal logging often has taken place at night, to reduce the chance of being caught. Successful prosecution is usually difficult, hence the tactics of intimidation, and vigilante armed conflicts, is dramatized in the film, as being more effective.

The fresh-faced Martin West is the eponymous, rootless, chap employed by a kindly lumber merchant to protect his harvest from thieves. He is a city boy with no experience and only one hand, so his task is not going to be easy! What now ensues is all pretty routine, and is rather annoyingly peppered by some songs from Jack Lambert's "Glockamorra" style Irish accent. The photography, though, is beautiful and there is a fair degree of authentic looking fisticuffs for our champion as he tries to contain the thieving aspirations of the aggrieved hoodlum "Barbeau" (Steve Peck) and his gang. Luckily, he befriends "Chris" (Carol Christensen) who provides a bit of inspiration and love interest before she deflates the young man by announcing she is leaving to go to college... It's quite an engaging story of courage in the face of ostensibly overwhelming odds, but the acting and writing are all just a bit too "nice". It's certainly an handsome film to look at, though.

The third feature film directed by Andrew McLaglen and the fourth of five big screen versions of Gene Stratton-Porter's 1904 novel; shot by veteran cameraman Floyd Crosby in CinemaScope & DeLuxe Color against the backdrop of the San Bernardino National Park.

The title refers not to a dog or some other cute animal but the young hero, and it's far from the twee children's film it suggests. For a start, he's missing his left hand and there's actually enough rough stuff to earn it the preliminary warning on Talking Pictures that "some of it may be unsuitable for a younger audience".

Audiences may recognise steel-haired principal villain Steve Peck as the jerk who killed Shirley MacLaine at the conclusion of 'Some Came Running'; while harder to recognise is Jack Lambert with a passable Irish accent - who even gets to sing a couple of times - in a very rare sympathetic part.

This little known gem of a film, is, in a way, the perfect pick me up, for whenever i'm feeling down! This is always guaranteed to put a smile on my face, with each & every viewing! Everything, from the lush cinematography, to the beautiful, vibrant colors, to the wonderful, talented cast, to the feel good story & atmosphere. It's all so perfect, in my opinion. With each viewing of this gem, I am able to escape to a beautiful utopia of early 1960's era Northern California, in the absolutely gorgeous San Bernardino National Forest, as it was. Long before, the unfortunate recent forest fires, that have sadly, largely, destroyed all this beauty, before i even had a chance, to view it, in real life. I wonder if there are any trees left standing, where Freckles (1960) was filmed? Cause i'd still like to visit these filming locations. I've always thought it'd be cool, to be a lumberjack, in the Pacific Northwest. Especially Northern California. This film, is probably the closest, I'll ever get to that dream. All of the cast do a wonderful job, & really make this story come to life. I've never read the original, 1904 Freckles novel, or seen the other 2 previous film adaptations, but I'd like to. Idk if the other 2 films will hold up to this one though. I wonder what the story is, behind why this was never released to home video? There's gotta some explanation for that. I'd give anything for an official DVD or Blu-Ray release, but for now, I'll have to settle for a DVD-R copy. Man, I wish i could be like Freckles, & run off to Northern California, & get a job, at a construction company. Protecting it from timber thieves. A perfect 10 out of 10, as far as i'm concerned!!!

Freckles marks Andrew McLaglen's third feature film and it's the third remake of Gene Stratton Porter's novel about a one handed orphan kid who goes to work for a lumber baron played here by veteran western heavy Roy Barcroft.

Barcroft takes a liking to young Martin West and gives him a job riding herd on the trees lest they be cut down by another logging outfit, specifically the one run by Steven Peck. Good thing it wasn't his shooting arm lost.

Some nice color cinematography from Big Bear Lake is the real star of Freckles. The young leads of West and Carol Christiansen are attractive.

And you also get a chance to see not only Barcroft, but Jack Lambert as a good guy for a change.