Lure of the Wilderness

There is a scene where Jean Peters and Jeffrey Hunter are kissing in the middle of a Georgia swamp ... She has a lovely hair style and professional make-up on, he is clean-shaven and smelling of roses (no BO or bad breath issues here !). The plot is as flimsy and fake as that scene. This was standard Hollywood fare in the 40s, 50's and early 60's when cowboys travelled 30 miles through wilderness to arrive still wearing a clean pressed shirt and gleaming boots ... Don't waste your time watching this garbage UNLESS you watch it on a smart phone in a dentist's waiting room to send you to sleep !

'Swamp Water' was fairly indifferent Renoir to begin with, and this remake with Walter Brennan recreating his original role compensates by being slightly less studio bound and photographed by ace Technicolor cameraman Edward Cronjager. (Franz Waxman's score is sometimes suitably eerie and sometimes unsuitably twee.) It's also fun to see a young Jack Elam as one of the local rednecks. In the role originally played by Anne Baxter, Jean Peters looks as if she came straight off the set of 'Anne of the Indies', pausing only to discard her headscarf.

Now i see how Jeff Hunter was selected for the lead role in 'King of Kings' 8 yrs later. 1rst, for the quaint prayer he said after thinking Mr. Brennan died due to a Cotton Mouth snake bite on forehead (while drinking swamp stream water). 2nd, for undergoing the beating up suffering he went thru vs the Jack Elam /willWright posse gang. Once, again Ms Peters as Tom Boy Beautiful as ever (just like in 'Broken Arrow'), and the athletic 1rst macho woman iconic role and role model for Scarlett Johanssens Black Widow role decades later, they even Look Alike. Puppy Dog sad eye look.

The setting really makes the movie. The swamp. Super photography and the acting is fairly decent. Reminded me somewhat of a Disney family movie.

This film was based on the earlier "Swamp Water" - both great films. The earlier film also starred Dana Andrews and John Carradine. I loved all the Walter Brennan movies as well as his character, Grandpa Amos, in the TV series "The Real McCoys", which starred another late and great actor, Richard Crenna, as Luke.

When I happened to come upon this film on TV, Constance Smith was on the screen. Immediately, I thought of Jean Peters because the resemblance was so great. I even thought she WAS Jean Peters, although the eye color and absence of the turned up tip of the nose gave me reason to doubt my initial impression. Lo and behold, who did I find was also in the film - Jean Peters! I did not see any reference in the film to the resemblance between the two, but I wonder if they were cast together because of this resemblance (admittedly, a subjective impression on my part). Perhaps there was an unstated implication that Jeffrey Hunter was attracted to Jean because of her resemblance to his "fiancee", played by Constance. In any event, a very good, if relatively unknown film, even as a remake of the generally more highly rated film it's derived from (with Walther Brennan in both!).

I saw this movie in original release and have always wanted to see it again. It is beautifully acted by the entire cast, especially Walter Brennan. As usual, he was always an asset to any movie. The setting of the swamp gave the movie adventure,suspense and beauty. This is one classic that should be restored to its original state.

excellent movie,wonderful cast,and very enjoyable to watch,so i'm wondering why it was never released to video,I know that there has to be a copy somewhere because it was shown on Disney channel years ago,when satellites first came out,I have a copy from back then,still watchable but would love to own a new copy of it.just can't understand why this version was never released,and swamp water was,Lure of the wilderness is a remake of swamp water,and is a much better movie.,SO if one of these ever becomes available,I would sure love to purchase one.So you guys find me one. Thanks for the chance to express my opinion. Louise

Here is an unusual story about a girl and her father, who take refuge in the Georgia swamps as they try to evade a linching mob. The father (excellently played by Walter Brennan) had been wrongly accused of murder in a small neighboring town. The girl (who turns out to be the beautiful -and quite athletic - Jean Peters)grows up in the swamps, away from civilization, until a man (handsome Jeff Hunter) arrives at their campsite looking for his stray dog. Of course the two young actors eventually fall in love, but even this is believable and interwined into the action and adventure of this highly intersting film. Director Jean Negulesco offers us a well balanced and magnificently edited film that deals with prejudices and lies - which can be abundant in any small town. Very well acted by Peters, Hunter, et all...who award us with quite authentic southern accents, for a change.