Nonureva
Really Surprised!
MusicChat
It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.
Nayan Gough
A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.
wes-connors
Following the US Civil War, Confederate soldier Alan Ladd (as John Chandler), his skittish 10-year-old son David Ladd (as David Chandler) and their dog "Lance" move from Georgia to Illinois. They are looking for a smart Northern doctor to examine young Ladd, who hasn't been able to speak since he witnessed his mother die by fire. The doctor examines the boy's throat and tells Mr. Ladd the muteness is likely psychological. We hear the younger Ladd make noises one would associate with healthy vocal chords, although he mainly communicates with sign language. After visiting the doctor, Ladd gets into a fight with one-armed sheep rancher Dean Jagger (as Harry Burleigh)...The nastiest guy in town, Mr. Jagger tries to dog-nap Lance, correctly realizing the pooch would make an ideal sheepdog. For an older guy, Ladd puts up a good fight against Jagger's strong young sons, Dean Stanton and Tom Pittman (as Jeb and Tom). However, Ladd gets knocked out cold and dragged to the local judge. For being a "Reb" and losing the fight, Ladd is sentenced to 30 days or 30 dollars. Luckily, spinsterish but still good-looking Olivia de Havilland (as Linnett Moore) has arrived for her opening scene. She takes charge of young David and offers to employ dad Ladd on her 200 acre farm, so he can pay his fine. Of course, the Jagger gang causes violent trouble for the trio...De Havilland acts admirably, but the best notices for "The Proud Rebel" went to the younger Ladd. He won the sporadic "Juvenile Actor" of the year from both Film Daily and the Golden Globes. Given an "Introducing" credit, David Ladd had been acting with his father for several years. He even had a minor role in his dad's extraordinary "Shane" (1953). "The Proud Rebel" feigns such similarity, it almost seems like David blurts out "Shane!" at a pivotal point. Of course, he does not. If you haven't seen the earlier film, do so. This one is nicely directed and photographed, by Michael Curtiz and Ted McCord. There's little magic, but just imagine you were a boy born in the late 1940s.****** The Proud Rebel (1958-05-28) Michael Curtiz ~ Alan Ladd, David Ladd, Olivia de Havilland, Dean Jagger
edwagreen
Terrific western with David Ladd stealing the show as a lad whose vocal chords were paralyzed after he witnessed the death of his mother during the civil war.Dad Alan Ladd, who portrays David's father in the film, looks for every way possible for his son's voice to be restored.After meeting up with Olivia De Havilland in a chance meeting when he is jailed and the tables turned on him by an evil Dean Jagger and his sons, the latter trying to wrestle control of Linnett's farm so that they may extend their sheep herding.Lassie film lovers move over. The boy is enamored with his dog Lance and Ladd sells the dog to pay for an operation that appeared to be unsuccessful.Naturally, the dog was sold to Jagger who plots to kill dad Ladd after promising him that he can have the "worthless" dog back, only to want to kill the Ladd character as a dog stealer.Emotion abounds in the film as De Havilland comes to love the Ladd character and the boy.Co-starring Eli Mintz, of the television "The Goldberg's fame as a store keeper. Cecil Kellaway is appealing as a Quaker doctor.
rickidaksgrips
A very nice classic movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood. I disagree with another reviewer that the film is too slow. It develops and moves along fine. The trouble with todays youth, is that everything has too spill out in a minute flat as nearly everyone under 25 has A.D.H.D or is so pumped up on energy drinks. They are so impatient and snappy. That there are no real craftsmen anywhere or in any field nowadays. It is often said all new movies have 1 dimension characters. Well if you pace it slower and show the back round of the characters. You can have fully developed and believable characters. Alan Ladd did a great portrayal of the character, as he did with the Shane character in the movie of the same name, made 5 years earlier and also a western. The actor dosen't act, he becomes the character. The rest of the cast were superb as well. Olivia De Havaland played such a wholesome women. That you'd want to marry her knowing you'd last forever with her. Alan's son played his son in the film, and playing a mute boy made you think that maybe he couldn't speak. He later of course married Cheryl Ladd from Charlie's Angels series. A nice story without CGI effects and explosions and lots of unnecessary sex.These are storybook stories that embed in peoples minds. Films from this era have been remembered for 70-80 years. How many films from last year can you recall.
breezybrisbane
This is by no means going to win any major critical awards for originality or tricky effects. It isn't going to win Alan Ladd any post-humous Oscars. But when one just feels like watching a movie... who really cares? For that type of Saturday afternoon frivolity, this film is certainly worth a try.The film depends on a typical boy-and-his-dog storyline, giving it a slight twist when the other relationship in this story-the one between a father and his son-takes priority in the tale.The effect of this whimsical fable is enhanced when one realizes that Alan and David Ladd are indeed father and son, and imagines the bond presented on the screen to be one that could have existed in real life. One is also saddened by the remembrance of Ladd Sr,'s drunken death at the age of 55.In other words, it's not a two handkerchief picture, but it's more than worth a shot.
