"Barney Glasgow" (Edward Arnold) is a backwater logger in Wisconsin who hits on an idea that could make him a fortune - he proposes this to his boss who accepts; but whose daughter goes with the package! He leaves his first love - saloon singer "Lotta" and his career goes from strength to strength. Twenty years later, he discovers that his love had a daughter (Frances Farmer) and he quickly becomes infatuated with her; much to the chagrin of his own son "Richard" (Joel McCrea) who is, himself, keen on the girl and of his more generously concerned daughter "Evvie" (Andrea Leeds). This is a rather straightforward story, but the characters are both strong and engaging; (Oscar winning) Walter Brennan as his long-time friend "Swanny" is also a crucial ingredient as the story deals with this mid-life crisis in a delicate, at times funny, but always sincere fashion. Howard Hawks and William Wyler share the directing credits on this - I've no idea why - but their two minds have managed to create something just a bit different here; and if you get the chance to catch up with it, you ought to.
2022-06-19
