Ah, Wilderness!

A sweet day for a All-Star MGM family. Based on the writings of Eugene O'Neill, full of heart and naivety. Perhaps a little too naive for me as the central character played by 3rd choice Eric Linden felt a little too juvenile and clueless as he has his mental rebellion against the system! Still cute in it's exaggerated way, but at the end of the day I didn't really feel all that much richer from this character study. Or maybe it was just very different to what I had expected going in.

An excellent piece of Americana written by Eugene vO'Neil and directed by that nostalgic poet of small town life, Clarence Brown. The entire cast--with the unfortunate exception of the youth in the leading role, Eric Linden--is excellent, with Wallace Beery a standout as the charming but alcoholic uncle.

This movie, made in 1935, is about a 1906 teen trying to take control of his life and making some rebellious choices. Watching it in 2022 made the story and their interaction much more enjoyable. The subject of alcohol and its effect is central to the story.

Americana