I love this movie so much

Too much of everything

One of my all time favorites.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Copyright 21 November 1936 by Samuel Goldwyn. Released through United Artists. New York opening at the Rivoli, 11 November 1936. 11 reels. 99 minutes. 1960 re-issue title: ROARING TIMBER.SYNOPSIS: Timber baron rejects saloon girl, but twenty years later makes a play for her daughter.NOTES: Academy Award, Walter Brennan, Supporting Actor (defeating Mischa Auer in My Man Godfrey, Stuart Erwin in Pigskin Parade, Basil Rathbone in Romeo and Juliet and Akim Tamiroff in The General Died at Dawn). Also nominated for Film Editing (won by Ralph Dawson for Anthony Adverse).Goldwyn fired Hawks before the film was completed. Wyler reluctantly took over. Estimates of Wyler's contribution vary from as low as the last 9 minutes to as high as the last 30. It should be easy enough to work out. Toland worked with Hawks, Maté with Wyler. (I don't know who worked with Rosson, but his contribution is not in dispute.)The most exciting scenes are undoubtedly those in the Hawks half — the logging footage directed by Richard Rosson, and the fight at the saloon. Performances are persuasive throughout, but Frances Farmer is outstandingly forceful in her Hawks scenes. Technical credits are likewise marvelously impressive, particularly the sets, costumes, music scoring, and film editing.It is unfortunate that Walter Brennan received an Academy Award, as his hammy, stage-Swedish-accented performance is the only unsatisfactory item in this otherwise wholly engrossing and engagingly poignant domestic drama.William Wyler took over from Howard Hawks to direct the last ten minutes, starting with the employees' ball. The change in both directorial and photographic style is very apparent. Wyler favors a moving camera, and tight reverse angles with inter-cut close-ups and reaction shots. Hawks, on the other hand, employs a much more static style. Along with less camera movement and looser frame compositions, he tends to hold camera set-ups for a much longer time span. The photographic texture in the Wyler sequences is also different, with lower key lighting harnessing more velvety black textures and more romantically lit faces. Acting also changes in perfect harmony with the story. It's suddenly looser and less controlled, which makes a perfect cap for the picture.Edward Arnold is perfectly cast. He's given lots to laugh about (his specialty) and even cry. For once, he has a really meaty star role in a really lavish production. He plays his Barney with virility, conviction and above all, style. I love the rakish way he addresses many of the minor players by their real names.The legendary Frances Farmer gives the performance of her career. Making the most of Furthman's clever, pointed dialogue, she delineates both her roles with a superbly contrasting sincerity, deftly pitching her voice higher for the daughter.Joel McCrea's timing is also spot on. I must also commend Mary Nash's realism as the embittered housekeeper, and Cecil Cunningham's adroit sarcasm as the secretary.Although the picture neatly falls into two sections, 1884 and 1907, the scriptwriters have skilfully ensured there's no loss of continuity or suspense.The music score is also nothing short of superlative. I particularly enjoyed Arnold, Brennan, Farmer and Christians' rendering of the song, "Nelly's Hat."

Noteworthy for earning character actor Walter Brennan the first of his three Supporting Actor Oscars, the first year the Academy bestowed the award, this average drama also earned Edward Curtiss his only nomination for Editing. Samuel Goldwyn produced this screen version of the Edna Ferber novel which was adapted by Jules Furthman and Jane Murfin. The producer had to replace director Howard Hawks with William Wyler over storyline disagreements despite the fact that Wyler was still working on Dodsworth (1936) (also for Goldwyn); Richard Rosson directed the film's spectacular logging sequences.The story's about a tough logger boss, Barney Glascow (Edward Arnold) who treats his men to all the food and liquor they want after they bring the logs to the mill, where it's cut into lumber. Barney's best friend is Swan Bostrom (Walter Brennan). The two meet a beautiful singer named Lotta (Frances Farmer), and Barney makes a play for her before he's reminded that his boss Mr. Hewitt (Charles Halton) had promised him a partnership in the timber business if he marries his homely daughter Emma Louise (Mary Nash). Later, Lotta marries Swan.Some 20+ years later, Barney and Emma Louise have two grown children, an independent thinking son named Richard (Joel McCrea) and doting daughter named Evvie (Andrea Leeds). Richard thinks his father's practice of clear cutting without replanting is irresponsible and has other ideas that Barney rejects; Richard and Evvie's beau Tony (Frank Shields) think there's a future in paper cups. Barney goes to visit Swan, now a widower, and discovers that his old friend and lost love Lotta had a daughter, also named Lotta (and played by Farmer), that's the spitting image of her mother. He is smitten once again and his financial position enables him to spoil Swan, his niece Karie (Mady Christians), and Lotta; Barney insists on paying for Lotta's education. Naturally, Richard sees what's going on and falls for Lotta himself. Eventually, a conflict between father and son enables Barney to realize that Lotta sees him as an old man, and loves Richard.

An ambitious lumberjack abandons his saloon girl lover so that he can marry into wealth, but years later becomes infatuated with the woman's daughter.I love that this film revolves around the paper mills of Wisconsin and the lumber trade of the northern part of the state. While the paper industry has been declining, it is a key part of Wisconsin's history. Where I live (Neenah) also happened to be where Howard Hawks grew up and where his father and grandfather were part of that tradition. I would love to read an interview with Hawks concerning this film, as it was paper that gave him his wealth and prestige, even before film did.But anyway, a great film, and Walter Brennan shines here. I feel like her has been forgotten by most people, but his skill in acting should not be missed -- Hawks was able to get some great performances out of him, this one being among the best.

It seems that Edna Ferber wrote a novel about a robber baron's rape of the American wilderness and she felt it was adapted into a tawdry, Oedipal melodrama. To my eye and ear there's enough of both to make a very interesting experience.There Will Be Blood portrayed a minor oil magnate using family values as a pretext to earning peoples' trust only to be revealed as a mean spirited murderer. Edward Arnold's Barney character can be viewed in similar light with a little more sympathy but no less a hole in his greedy heart.There are a number of reasons to watch this classic: Francis Farber's only great performance, Edward Arnold in a complex lead role, Howard Hawk's directorial touches, Wyler's novelistic touches and an early Hollywood encounter with Ecology. To me the film doesn't seem as old as 1936. There's something that feels more mature in style and content that speaks of war and postwar America.I recall in the seventies the NY Film Festival had a revival and Andrew Sarris eloquently stated the film's virtues. Well I tried to watch it about 20 years later and I repeatedly couldn't get past the first 15 minutes. I'm glad I kept trying.