Family tensions in the Kentucky hills are inflamed by an outsider's dishonest scheme to exploit the area for its coal.Family tensions in the Kentucky hills are inflamed by an outsider's dishonest scheme to exploit the area for its coal.Family tensions in the Kentucky hills are inflamed by an outsider's dishonest scheme to exploit the area for its coal.
Fred Huntley
- Granpap Jason Hawn
- (as Fred W. Huntley)
W.H. Bainbridge
- Col. Pendleton
- (as William Bainbridge)
John Gilbert
- Gray Pendleton
- (as Jack Gilbert)
Henry Hebert
- Morton Sanders
- (as Henry Herbert)
California Truman
- Extra
- (uncredited)
- Directors
- Writers
- John Fox Jr.
- Bernard McConville
- Madeline Matzen(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- ConnectionsFeatured in Hollywood (1980)
- SoundtracksHeart O' The Hills
Words by Sam Lewis (as Sam M. Lewis) & Joe Young; music by Harry Ruby, c. 1919
'a song poem admiringly dedicated to Mary Pickford in her story of childhood in the Kentucky hills by John Fox Jr., A First National Attraction'
Featured review
Tense, Somber Melodrama With Good Photography
The tense, somber melodrama in this Mary Pickford feature is complemented very well by Charles Rosher's photography, which helps to draw you in and makes you feel part of the characters' world. It has very little humor for a Pickford vehicle, and even the occasional lighter moments are almost invariably followed quickly by another serious turn, which keeps the mood serious most of the time.
The story has Pickford's character Mavis battling for survival in the Kentucky hills, seeking to avenge her father's murder even as she contends with outsiders who want to exploit the region's coal. There are several complicating factors, so that the scenario builds up a web of problems for Pickford and the other sympathetic characters to contend with. Among the secondary characters is a very young-looking John Gilbert, who is interesting to watch even though his role is not especially substantial.
Besides the relative lack of comedy, Pickford's character is unusually desperate. There is also a rather unsettling sequence with a vigilante confrontation that evokes some real anxiety, and a courtroom scene that anticipates one of the well-known scenes from "Spartacus". The story packs a lot of drama and tension into an hour and a quarter.
The cinematography helps considerably in making the story work. Despite the limitations of the era (and the damage done to the print over time), it makes you feel as if you really were in the Kentucky hills, with many outdoor shots that work very well, and many details that make the setting and story more believable. Pickford's own performance and screen presence are, of course, a plus to any movie. Amongst her features of the era, this one is good rather than excellent, but it's certainly worth seeing.
The story has Pickford's character Mavis battling for survival in the Kentucky hills, seeking to avenge her father's murder even as she contends with outsiders who want to exploit the region's coal. There are several complicating factors, so that the scenario builds up a web of problems for Pickford and the other sympathetic characters to contend with. Among the secondary characters is a very young-looking John Gilbert, who is interesting to watch even though his role is not especially substantial.
Besides the relative lack of comedy, Pickford's character is unusually desperate. There is also a rather unsettling sequence with a vigilante confrontation that evokes some real anxiety, and a courtroom scene that anticipates one of the well-known scenes from "Spartacus". The story packs a lot of drama and tension into an hour and a quarter.
The cinematography helps considerably in making the story work. Despite the limitations of the era (and the damage done to the print over time), it makes you feel as if you really were in the Kentucky hills, with many outdoor shots that work very well, and many details that make the setting and story more believable. Pickford's own performance and screen presence are, of course, a plus to any movie. Amongst her features of the era, this one is good rather than excellent, but it's certainly worth seeing.
helpful•81
- Snow Leopard
- Nov 27, 2005
Details
- Runtime1 hour 27 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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