Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

A Disappointing Continuation

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

This second talkie version of The beautiful story by Gene Stratton Porter is slightly altered from the previous version, "A Girl of the Limberlost", but several elements remain that tie the two together. Laurie is a lovely country girl, both sweet and intelligent, brought up by a stern and seemingly hateful aunt (Marjorie Main) who promises her to a wealthy but brutish garment (Edward Pawley) who is killed right before their wedding, putting Parker's pal on trial. It us up to rising attorney Eric Linden to prove his innocence and during the trial, secrets and true emotions are revealed which change a lot of lives.Main's character, a cold-hearted mother in the original, has been made Parker's aunt and is obviously a reverse snob, against book learning and big city folk, such as the wealthy but kindly Betty Blythe who befriends Parker and becomes her mentor. Sarah Padden and George Cleveland offer comfort to Parker who turns to them for solace over Main's brutality. This is a simple story of human failings and the ability to forgive and atone. In several of Main's scenes, it is obvious that she is hiding her true emotions so it is easy to forgive her in her crueler moments. Parker is a sweet heroine, with Blythe excellent as the woman who helps her without question every chance she gets. Touching yet not maudlin, this is worth a look, and not a carbon copy of its predecessor.

A young girl Laurie lives a life of misery with her cruel aunt in a small swamp village. The wealthiest man in the area makes a pact with the aunt so that he can take the girl's hand in marriage. This man is a drunken bully and old enough to be her father, so this is a pretty horrendous turn of events. Laurie has to rely on a few good souls to help her escape from this dreadful fate.Romance of the Limberlost is a very enjoyable melodrama. Its success is down to a simple but engaging story with good characterisation and a likable heroine. You really care for her predicament and this is ultimately what makes the film work. It's a feel-good romance at the end of the day. It also has a sweet scene in the forest where Laurie interacts with a selection of wild animals. It's a slightly surreal moment that adds a nice touch of the fantastic to proceedings.This is a very obscure film but it really shouldn't be. It's one of the better poverty row dramas that I have seen and is very accessible. It deserves a wider audience.

Laurie (Jean Parker)lives in the Limberlost (swampy timberland found in the American south)with her Aunt Nora (Marjorie Main), who hates the girl because her mother married the man Nora had loved. Laurie's existence is much the same as a bonded servant and she gets no encouragement from her aunt as she tries to overcome her environment by studying. Laurie's only friends are the birds and animals of the forest, and a young boy named Chris (Hollis Jewell), a bound boy to Corson (Edward Pawley), a drunken, coarse bully who is the wealthiest man in the community. Laurie meets and falls in love with Wayne (Eric Linden)whose ambition is to become a lawyer.In the meantime, Corson, a widower, decides he wants to marry again and bargains with Nora to get Laurie as his bride. He promises to support Nora for the rest of her life in style and wealth. Laurie agrees to the forced marriage because Nora threatens to involve her dead mother in a scandal. Chris, secretly in love with Laurie, threatens to kill Corson before he will let him marry Laurie.On the night before the wedding, Chris follows Corson to the barn, with a gun, but the bully disarms him with a whip. Accidentally, Corson falls onto the gun which he has seized from Chris, and is killed.Chris is charged with murder, and Wayne agrees to defend him.

"Romance of the Limberlost", according to an article in a magazine review of very old Hollywood forgotten films was said to be "a lost film". I searched among my old 30's films for about 20 minutes and was surprised to find it. I thought I had it but I hadn't seen it for many years.Romance is a campestral tale that takes place in "The Limberlost" a swamp-like area in 1905.However, one never sees anything that even suggest a swamp.It is rather a rural setting, where Jean Parker(Laurie) is an innocent young girl who would rather commune with nature and her friends than work for her aunt,(in what is apparently a white slavery nightmare.)Marjorie Main plays the evil aunt who blackmails her niece with scandalous lies.There is a murder that brings a young boy to trial, his only friend and advocate is Jean Parker who entreats the help of a young lawyer (Eric Linden).This is not your average 1930's story and certainly nothing that one sees today.For that reason it is refreshing, and in its innocence concerning youth and wildlife-it is beautiful and extremely rare.