The Trail of the Lonesome Pine

Director: Henry Hathaway Henry Hathaway

Overview

Paramount's first outdoor Technicolor feature, Trail of the Lonesome Pine was the third film version of John Fox Jr.'s novel. Inspired by the Hatfield-McCoy feud, the story is set in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. Outsider Fred MacMurray arrives to clear the path for a new railroad. Mountain girl Sylvia Sidney falls in love with MacMurray, which incurs the enmity of Sidney's boyfriend Henry Fonda. It also plunks MacMurray in the middle of a long-standing feud between Sidney's family and another mountain clan. Hostilities alternately erupt and simmer until Sidney's youngest brother (Spanky McFarland) is killed by a feud-inspired dynamite blast. This tragic incident brings virtually everyone to their senses, and the feud is finally buried. Better in its individual setpieces than as a unified whole, Trail of the Lonesome Pine is still a worthwhile experience, especially when a pristine three-strip Technicolor print is available.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/07/2009
UPC:	0025192019012
Original Release:	1936
Rating:	NR
Source:	STUDIO DISTRIBUTION SERVS LLC
Region Code:	1
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono, Dolby Digital Stereo]
Language:	English
Time:	1:42:00
Sales rank:	28,565

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Sylvia Sidney	June Tolliver
Henry Fonda	Dave Tolliver
Fred MacMurray	Jack Hale
Fred Stone	Judd Tolliver
Nigel Bruce	Mr. Thurber
Beulah Bondi	Melissa
Robert Barrat	Buck Falin,Buck Falin
Spanky McFarland	Buddy
Fuzzy Knight	Tater
Otto Fries	Corsey,Corsey
Samuel S. Hinds	Sheriff
Alan Baxter	Tolliver
Margaret Armstrong	Tolliver
Ricca Allen	Tolliver
Fern Emmett	Lena
Richard Carle	Ezra
Henry Brandon	Wade Falin
Philip Barker	Merd Falin
Bob Kortman	Gorley Falin
Charlotte Wynters	Jack Hale's Sister
Frank Rice	Zeke
Hilda Vaughn	Gaptown Teacher
Charles Middleton	Blacksmith,Blacksmith
Clara Blandick	Landlady
Russ Powell	Storekeeper,Storekeeper
Irving Bacon	Mailman
John Larkin	Ebony
Frank McGlynn Sr.	Preacher
Lowell Drew	Bartender
Lee Phelps	Taylor
Jack Curtis	Store Clerk
Betty Farrington	Louisville Teacher
James Burke	Leader
Norman Willis	Old Dave in Prolog
George Ernest	Dave at Age l0
Powell Clayton	Dave at Age 5
John Beck	Actor
Hank Bell	Actor
Fred Burns	Actor
Jim Corey	Falin Clan
Bud Geary	Actor
Edward Le Saint	Actor
Jim Welch	Actor
Tuffy the Dog	Actor

Technical Credits

Harvey Thew

Grover Jones

Horace McCoy

Henry Hathaway	Director
Walter Wanger	Producer
Harvey Thew	Screenwriter
Grover Jones	Screenwriter
Horace McCoy	Screenwriter
Walter Wagner	Producer

Editorial Reviews

Filmed largely in the beautiful hills surrounding Cedar Lake, CA, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine is a somewhat dated but still enjoyable backwoods melodrama. Modern audiences will undoubtedly have some problems with the screenplay, as its Hatfield/McCoy-inspired story comes across as somewhat hokey in places, and much of the earnest dialogue sounds clanky and contrived. Still, the basic conflict definitely has power, there's plenty of "down home" atmosphere to add flavor to the story, and individual moments pack a great deal of power. The beautiful Technicolor lensing may have a few flaws, but overall, the color and photography create a visual feast. Sylvia Sidney's delectable looks are a feast unto themselves; if her performance is occasionally shrill, it's still effective. Even better are Fred MacMurray and Henry Fonda, both of whom were pretty boyish at the time but deliver performances that are man-sized in their power and presence. Fonda, in particular, makes the most of his dramatic moments, partially because his role is a bit showier than MacMurray's. Of the supporting cast, Beulah Bondi is all stubborn pride and strength, Nigel Bruce is gruffly appealing, and Spanky McFarland makes the tear-jerking climax work well. Trail is a bit uneven, but on the whole it's memorable.