DKosty123 This take on the struggles of poor Americans in the south trying to make a go of it when they move onto a run down farm has a lot of the family type of stuff as a novel on America's depression should. Most of the cast of this is not as well known as the Henry Fonda Joad family epic, but that is different in a significant way. The Joads are in the process of trying to escape the dust bowl. This family relocates to the run down farm at the beginning of the film and then the story goes through their day to day living torments.French Director Renoir does a fine job assembling a story that makes a lot of sense and shows farm life struggles in a different way. The most famous cast member to me is Percy Kilbride who would go on to be Pa Kettle. In this movie he is a store clerk he eventually gets married and has a big wedding party nearing the end of the film. Since his bride is not Ma Kettle that makes him a bigamist though there is no relation between the films. Even though this is not the most famous cast around, the performances here are very well acted, and the cast makes the story more believable. The ending after a major climate changing event, is a real life ending. For the folks who survive, life goes on regardless. It is a lesson that needs to be taught more to a generation right now who has the idea that Climate Change is the end of everything as we know it. Climate change is not an ending, it is a disaster that leads to a new beginning by those who survive. There is way too much gloom and doom and too many people getting rich peddling such nonsense.

evanston_dad A marvelous slice of life film from, of all people, Jean Renoir, most known for movies set far away from America's heartland, like "The Rules of the Game" and "Grand Illusion."Zachary Scott and Betty Field deliver wonderful performances as a husband and wife who decide to make a go of farming their own plot of land rather than work for anyone. The movie is a chronicle of the hardships that face farmers, and a tribute to a certain kind of modest heroism that is willing to put up with all manner of strife to plow doggedly ahead. Neither the film nor Scott's performance make a martyr of the farmer, or even necessarily ask us to agree with him. Some people are cut out to be farmers and some aren't, the movie suggests, but it doesn't attach a value statement to that. Rather, it presents farmers as people who have to make a living just like anybody, and would rather do so by working the land than anything else.Some dramatic conflict is brought into the picture through a character played by J. Carroll Naish, a neighbor who makes trouble, but most of it comes from natural elements -- sickness, storms, flooding. It's a modest movie with modest ambitions that makes a big impact.Also featuring Beulah Bondi as an irascible grandmother, whose broad shtick wears thin fast and feels at odds with the rest of the movie."The Southerner" brought Renoir his only Academy Award nomination for Best Director, and it was also nominated in the categories of Best Dramatic or Comedy Score and Best Sound Recording, not especially meaningful recognition since the Scoring category had 21 nominees that year and the Sound Recording category 12.Grade: A

sol- Tired of working for others, a brash farmhand buys a farm of his own to operate with his wife, but things are not as easy as all that in this downbeat drama directed by Jean Renoir. As a Frenchman, Renoir is a curious choice to helm the project since the film is very much about the American Dream and the persistence of those trying to achieve it. There is a memorable scene early on in which the protagonist delights at catching a fish by hand in a pond at his farm, but any such initial joy soon turns to anguish as he realises just how unprepared and he and his wife are to raise their two children in farm-life conditions, oblivious to the need for fresh vegetables, milk, etc. Anguish is also generated by the not very kind or giving nature of their neighbours who, in reality, are just down to earth. Having fallen into the public domain over the years, 'The Southerner' is sometimes hard to watch given the grainy visuals that exist on most DVD prints, but the key to whether one takes to the film (or not) will mostly likely lie in how much one can sympathise with the protagonist. On one hand, he is a stubborn man who puts his kids' life in jeopardy since he refuses to listen to the advice of others. On the other hand, he is a dreamer who will stop at nothing in a quest to better his life. Certainly, audiences at the time liked the film quite a bit, but it is less certain what contemporary viewers will make of it.

ma-cortes An employee named Sam Tucker (Zachary Scott)frequently working for others is hired some land and he decides along with his family, -his wife (Betty Field), granny (Beulah Bondi)and two sons - attempt farming for themselves. The family finds hardships on their way and they'll have to fight against the elements,ills, poorness, distresses and a selfish neighbor (J. Carroll Naish) living with his daughter (Nash) and niece (Norman Lloyd) .This is a rural drama about a survival fight amid all disgraces and terrible elements. It's a naturalistic drama splendidly played and magnificently staged. From the tale 'Hold Autumn in your hand' by George Sessions Perry and writing by William Faulkner though he appears uncredited. It's proceeded in similar style to ¨Grapes of wrath¨ by John Ford based on John Steinbeck novel . First rate performances by all star cast. Special mention to Belulah Bondi as sympathetic and and grumpy granny. And Norman Lloyd as roguish nephew, he's a veteran player still acting , who joined the original company of Orson Welles-John Houseman Mercury Theatre and after that he was hired to Hollywood to play as secondary actor in Alfred Hitchcock movie and other ones and made him an associate producer. Neo-realist and evocative cinematography by Lucien Andriot. Sensible and imaginative musical score by Werner Janssen.The flick is excellently directed by Jean Renoir. He said about 'The Southerner' gave him more pleasure than any of his other Hollywood work. Renoir was voted the 12th greatest director of all time . Furthermore, Orson Welles frequently cited him as the greatest movie director of all time. He was son of the famous impressionist painter Auguste Renoir. After his French classics (Rules of game 1939, Human beast 38, La Marseillase 36, A day in the country 36, Boudu saved from drowning 32), he was brought to USA by American producers, directing awesome films in Hollywood (Woman on the beach 1947 , The diary of a chambermaid 46, The Southerner , The land is mine 43, Swamp water 1941). Later on, he returned to France , going on film-making classic movies (Elusive corporal 1962, Picnic on the grass 59, Testament of Dr Cordelier 59, Golden coach 52, The river 1951). Rating : Better than average, well worth watching.