The Proud Rebel

Trailer—The Proud Rebel

The Proud Rebel [Alan Ladd] (1958) DVDRip Oldies

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source: The Proud Rebel

The Proud Rebel is directed by Michael Curtiz and adapted by Lillie Hayward & Joseph Petracca from the story "Journal of Linnett Moore" written by James Edward Grant. It stars Alan Ladd, Olivia de Havilland, Dean Jagger, David Ladd, Cecil Kellaway & Henry Hull. Jerome Moross scores the music and Ted McCord is the cinematographer. It's a Technicolor production and the location for the shoot is Cedar City, Utah, USA. John Chandler (A Ladd) is a proud Southerner, the Civil war war may be over but he is still finding hostility in the North. He is searching for a doctor who can help his mute son David (D Ladd) speak again, the youngster has been unable to talk since the death of his mother in a fire at the family home. After being taunted for his Southern roots, John gets into a fight that lands him a 30 day jail term. Luckily a kindly local lady called Linnett Moore (Havilland) offers to pay the fine to keep John out of jail, she can see that young David needs his father, and a man about her farm will come in handy. From here John gets involved with Linnett's struggle to keep her land from ruthless local landowner Harry Burleigh (Jagger). Burleigh and his sons will do what it takes to get their way. As bonds and affections are formed, some real tough decisions must be made, can the proud rebel, and those he cares for, triumph in adversity?. Make no mistake here, this film is as formulaic as it comes, any fan of the genre that reads the plot synopsis will know exactly what to expect. That, however, doesn't mean this isn't a smashing film, because it completely is. It's the kind of film that that all family members can sit in front of the TV and enjoy. When a plot arc in a film involves the bullied standing up to the bullies it's always rewarding, but The Proud Rebel doesn't just stop at pulling that particular heart string, it pulls at a couple of others involving the quest for David to speak again, and a lovely emotive strand involving Lance the dog. Even tho the expected finally arrives, you would have to be made of granite to not feel like whooping with joy as you swat away that fly in your eye. Michael Curtiz directs and does, as usual, a brilliant unfussy job, but even he would surely have acknowledged the integral part the score plays in this story. Jerome Moross' score is simply wonderful, every frame comes to life as the music itself envelopes the characters and also brings them to life as well. Gorgeous and at times desperately sad, it's a score very much to savour. Alan Ladd as John slips quite easily into Shane mode, acting opposite his son David, he emotes with great conviction, and during some of the more sadder scenes he is quite heartfelt and believable. Olivia de Haviland as Linnett Moore is sturdy and tough, how nice it is watching de Haviland perform so well in this type of role. The supporting actors are all effective, most notably Jagger, Kellaway and of course young David Ladd, whilst keep an eye out for future great character actor Harry Dean Stanton. If you like Shane and films of that ilk then this is for you, a perfect family picture that pulls at all the respective emotional threads. 7/10

Michael Curtiz Directs A top shelf MGM picture here which was hung up with legal problems for a long time and just aired on Turner Classic movies. The pictures scenery and color make this one a great visual feast on a large screen. Alan Ladd and his son David (who won the Globe Award) are the main characters in a western drama where man has lost his wife in such shocking fashion that his son has become mute. This pulls the viewer in as Ladd is in search of a doctor who can get his son to speak again. On this quest they run into and evil Dean Jagger whose a sheep farmer who initially tries to steal their dog. There is plenty of other solid support from John Carradine and other. Olivia De Havilland here is as good as ever as a barley farmer facing down Jagger and the sheep men, enlists the aid of Ladd and son for needed help. All the strength's here of cast and quality show through as the performances are stellar and the production is a step above many films. Alan Ladd is as good here as he was in Shane in 1953. The emotion between his character, his son and Olivia DE Havilland and Dean Jagger add substance to this movie making it very Watchable. Olivia proves she is still very appealing and talented as an actress at age 42 here. I dedicate this review to her as the lawyers got this overlooked performance released for us to enjoy in time for her 100th birthday on July 1st, 2016. The quality if this movie would look good on an IMAX screen though real western dramas rarely get played on the venue.

Try as I might this was one of those films that I honestly couldn't bring myself to get too enthused about. Although I thought that the the acting was more than adequate the fact remains that the overall story just didn't entertain me that much. If anything I thought most of it was kind of depressing. But that's just my opinion. Now, I understand that this movie is highly rated and that David Ladd won a Golden Globe Award for "Best Juvenile Actor" in his role as "David Chandler". It was well deserved. On that note, I also liked the performance of Alan Ladd (as "John Chandler") and Olivia de Havilland ("Linnett Moore"). I even liked the dog named "Lance" (King). But the drama was drawn out a bit too much for my liking. Along with that I thought the story was also somewhat predictable. As a result I have to give this movie a score that might seem quite low to some viewers.

Undoubtedly one of the most accomplished and most interesting of Curtiz's later movies, this one re-united him with the brilliant cinematographer, Ted McCord. In fact the color photography is always so visually attractive that the players face an uphill battle to compete with the breathtaking scenery. That they actually manage to do this is a tribute not only to their own acting skills, but to director Curtiz. De Havilland handles her character role with total authority, Ladd plays with conviction and sincerity in what is possibly his best performance ever, while Dean Jagger is so memorably vicious as the heavy it's hard to believe it's the same guy who delivered such a ridiculously bland characterization of a Clayton's general in Curtiz's big 1954 hit, White Christmas. Nonetheless, it's young David Ladd who easily walks away with the movie's acting honors and deservedly won the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's 1958 award for the most outstanding performance by a juvenile. Technical credits are equally accomplished. Add to Curtiz's bravura direction and McCord's striking camerawork, the powerful music score of Jerome Moross.

There's good stuff in this movie, particularly the subtle music and the incredible views. The camera is also quite fine and unobtrusive. And the simple, sweet story is good too, enhanced by the real life father and son bond. Not so appealing are the obligatory firecrackers at the end. Definitely better than Shane.

'The Proud Rebl' has some heartwarming moments involving a boy and his strong loyalty to his dad and his dog--but it is not quite satisfying in that the Ladd-de Havilland relationship is never completely explored. A stronger dose of romance might have livened up some of the slower moments. Children will be drawn to the theme of boy/dog and man/son relationships--but adults may find it not quite as heartwarming as it strives to be. Ladd plays a tight-lipped man ready to brawl when he has to -- Shane in a minor key -- and David Ladd is the mute son traumatized by the death of his mother in a fire. De Havilland has some good moments as the woman who has both Ladds on her farm, helping her deal with villainous neighbor (Dean Jagger) and his outlaw sons. The technicolor photography makes the most of Utah locations and the background score by Jerome Moross is distinctive--but somehow the overall effect is simply that of a low-key family film, "a man, a boy and a dog" sort of thing that falls short of its intended mark. The missing element seems to be romance--it is barely hinted at in the relationship and should have been emphasized more, for there is good chemistry between Ladd and de Havilland and this would have given the story the adult appeal that it lacks.