Of Human Hearts

source: Of Human Hearts

Moviecut—Of Human Hearts

This is a gloriously old-fashioned and sentimental film. The type that went out of style right around the time of World War II, when the country quickly grew up. But this film gives one quite a good idea of what rural life may have been like in pre-Civil War era America. To me, the real star of this film is one of the greatest female character actresses of all time -- Beulah Bondi. Here she plays a minister's wife who endures poverty and hardship while living in a dinkwater town along the Ohio River. Her son is brilliantly played as a boy by Gene Reynolds, and as an adult by Jimmy Stewart. Another "star" of this film would have to be the horse Pilgrim. What a beautiful animal, and so key to the plot. Walter Huston is excellent as the minister/father, who is all too strict with his young son to be as likable as he typically is in most of his film roles. Another welcome feature of this film is rather stunning scenery, with outdoor scenes actually filmed outdoors and in beautiful settings. The pivotal point in the film comes when the father beats the son one more time, even though he is -- at that point -- a young adult. This leads the son to leave home, much to his mother's distress, and head for medical school. While it's easy to criticize the son for his selfishness in not realizing his mother's sacrifices, a 21st century interpretation of the story would be more sympathetic toward the son whose mother did nothing to stop the physical abuse by the father. Clearly, mores have changed a great deal since this film was made in 1938. However, once he graduates from medical school, his selfishness toward his now widowed mother becomes more unforgivable. Then comes the Civil War, and his mother even sells Pilgrim to pay for the son's uniform as he becomes a surgeon. This leads to the climactic and famous scene where the son is called to Washington to meet President Lincoln who severely chides him for neglecting his mother. Corny? For sure. But a dramatic tear jerker for anyone with a heart. And, there are a number of supporting roles here that are well done -- Charles Coburn (not his usual crusty self), Guy Kibbee, John Carradine (as Lincoln), and others.

This movie is a reminder of the treasures we have to enjoy from the early eras of movie-making. Walter Huston portrays a minister who has sensitivity and understanding for his parishioners but is bound by the restrictive morals of his background. The story takes place in the period before and during the Civil War. The minister has moments when he really is an admirable man; he even has the courage to grab and stop a runaway horse. That horse becomes a thread that winds through the rest of the movie. However, his treatment of his young son is a good example of why ministers' children are often described as troubled. Beaulah Bondi plays the saintly wife/mother whose love binds the family. Her unconditional love and sacrifice first console the boy and then elicit a narrow selfishness from the boy when he leaves home and goes to medical school in Baltimore. There are some wonderful moments in this movie. It is notable that James Stewart could play such a callow young man who takes advantage of his mother's generosity.

This is a pre-civil war and civil war movie. It stars Walter Huston, Beulah Bondi and Jimmy Stewart as a minister's family with little money and a number of misunderstandings between Father Ethan and son, Jason. The mother, Mary, ends up trying to be the constant peace keeper. Ethan wants his son to be a preacher. The dream of Jason's heart is be a doctor. Mary loves her husband but wants to see their son happy in the life's work he desires to do. Jason is to self-centered to see what his bickering with his father is doing to his mother. In anger Jason runs off. Goes to school and then war. His mother doesn't hear from him for several years and she finally contacts President Lincoln (John Carradine) to learn where her son is and if he's alright. Lincoln's reaction is predictable since we must remember Lincoln lost his mother, Nancy, at a young age. Now a decision must be made on what Jason will do. How much has he grown up? Will he realize he has broken his mother's heart? It's at least a big box of hankies movie for all of us.

"Of Human Hearts" is a schmaltzy historical melodrama that starts out okay, but gradually becomes ridiculous. It begins in the 1840's, when the Reverend Ethan Wilkins (Walter Huston), arrives at a small town on the Ohio River, with his wife Mary (Beulah Bondi) and young son Jason (Gene Reynolds). The townspeople are a parsimonious group, led by George Ames (Guy Kibbee), the skinflint owner of the general store. At a meeting to welcome the new minister to their church, they trick the minister into accepting less salary than was agreed upon. But Rev. Wilkins accepts this, even though he knows he is being cheated. Also, the town is not exactly big on education. After the schoolhouse burned down, the townspeople decided not to rebuild it, figuring "it wasn't good to bother the kids with too much book larnin'." The Rev. Wilkins is very strict and forbids his son Jason to read magazines, even after Jason's mother buys her son a subscription to the news magazine "Harper's Weekly." (It's never stated exactly why the Reverend hates magazines.) But Jason befriends the town's drunken doctor (Charles Coburn), and develops an interest in medicine. When Jason grows up (now played by James Stewart), he rebels against his father (with the usual father-son fistfight), and leaves home to attend medical school. Rev. Wilkins dies, and Mary Wilkins must occasionally sell items (i.e. silverware, furniture) inherited from her family. She sends the money to Jason, to keep him in medical school. When the Civil War comes, Jason distinguishes himself as a Union Army surgeon, treating wounded soldiers on the battlefield. But he neglects to write his mother for three years, and she fears him dead. Then comes the movie's most ridiculous scene. President Lincoln (John Carradine) receives a letter from Mary Wilkins asking him to find her son. He summons Jason Wilkins to the Oval Office -- calling him right out of a major battle where Wilkins is tending the wounded -- and demands to know why Wilkins hasn't written to his mother! "You ungrateful young man!" Lincoln rails. "How could you forget to write to your own mother?" "But...but Mr. President, I've been fighting the war for the past few years!" Wilkins stammers. "I've been saving wounded soldiers on the battlefield!" "Sit down at my desk there and write your mother immediately!" says the President. "And if you don't write her once a week from now on, I'll have you court-martialed!" (Unfortunately, I'm not making that last line up. Seems to me that Abe didn't have to call Jason in off the battlefield. He could've just sent a presidential order, "Write your mother, or else!") Anyway, the movie is a silly historical melodrama and is probably best forgotten. Beulah Bondi does give a good performance, but it's not enough to save this picture for posterity.

I tuned into this movie at the point where James Stewart's character was summoned from the battlefield to meet with President Abraham Lincoln. I didn't know what had transpired previously in the movie and was waiting to see why the president would take time to speak to him. I won't divulge all the details of the conversation but I kept thinking during the scene that this is one of the best portrayals of Lincoln I've ever seen. Physically the actor was very convincing and his demeanor was of the type I would except him to have. I finally recognized the voice of John Carradine. I actually think that Abraham Lincoln could have had a conversation like the one in the movie with a regular soldier. He met with many rank and file people during the war. It was a great scene, well written and produced in my opinion.

I really liked the look of this movie, the way the period was portrayed. Charles Coburn's performance was very nicely done, understated. I had heard about this film for many years, but had not had an opportunity to see it until recently. If you are not someone who watches a lot of early melodramatic movies I can see why this would not be for you, but I wouldn't let it be known that I'd sat through it five times just so I could speak with authority on how awful a movie it is. Like one of the other writers, I was also puzzled by the loud chirping birds in the background of some of the scenes.I kept waiting for this to be explained but it was not. And the scene withLincoln, I was sure was going to turn out to be a dream sequence, with Jimmy Stewart's character's guilt having caught up with him. But alas, the filmmakers really did want us to believe the President would pull a doctor off the front lines to scold him for neglecting his mother. Overall I liked it. I'll have to watch five more times just to enjoy the old man who leads the choir by striking the tuning fork on his shoe, apparently unable to hear it because he hums in another key, and begins singing in still another.

Antebellum, or pre-Civil War America, is seldom dealt with in movies. In the studio age it was largely ignored. Of Human Hearts is an exception. Set in frontier Ohio it concerns the rebellious son of a decent but inflexible minister who seeks to be a doctor and learn about the world. He get more than he bargained for after the guns fire on Fort Sumter, and the film traces his life from uneasy boyhood to uncomfortable manhood. James Stewart excels in an early lead role; and as his father Walter Huston is suitably starchy and forbidding. The backlot recreation of early small town America is wonderfully realized by director Clarence Brown and Company. There are some splendid supporting performances by, among other, Beulah Bondi, Charlie Grapewin, and especially Charles Coburn, as the village doctor who likes to drink and who becomes Stewart's mentor. As an historical footnote it's worth mentioning that the film was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the late thirties, and is an atypical product for them, as they were poaching, as it were, on movie territory that one associates with the more folsky Fox studios of the time, and did a rather good job at it, too.

i had read a lot about the film and recently got the chance to see it on TCM .BELULAH BONDI is really good and essays the role of a mother to perfection.the father's role is strange and scenes of corporal punishment avoidable.the old custom of giving the beating on the ass seems homosexual and incestuous today.he seems too strict and less practical.the father and son fight is quite interesting. the son on his part is insensitive and self centered and doesn't care for his mother's feelings which is evident from the scene where he throws away harper's magazines which his mother had subscribed for by selling two silver spoons.while his mother lives in poverty he squanders money on uniforms. the film is quite good.