The Southerner Movie Review 1945

A man used to working for others is given some land by an uncle and decides to pack up his family and try farming for himself. They find hardships as they struggle to support themselves. A superb, naturalistic celebration of a family's fight to survive amid all the elements. From the story "Hold Autumn in Your Hand," by George Sessions Perry. Novelist Faulkner had an uncredited hand in the script. He thought Renoir the best contemporary director, and later said "The Southerner" gave him more pleasure than any of his other Hollywood work (though this is faint praise; Faulkner is said to have hated Hollywood).

Distribution

Discount Video Tapes, Inc./Hollywood's Attic, PO Box 7122, Burbank, CA 91510, Phone: (818)843-3366, Toll-free: 800-253-9612, Fax: (818)843-3821, Email: wwwjr@hollywoodsattic.com, URL: http://www.hollywoodsattic.com/blackart.htm

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 91 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Farm Livin', Adapted from a Story, Family Ties, American South, 4 Bones

Screenplay

Jean Renoir, Hugo Butler, William Faulkner

Cast

Zachary Scott, Betty Field, Beulah Bondi, Norman Lloyd, Bunny Sunshine, Jay Gilpin, Estelle Taylor, Blanche Yurka, Percy Kilbride, J. Carrol Naish

Cinematography

Lucien N. Andriot

Director

Jean Renoir

Music

Werner Janssen

Producer

United Artists

Awards

Natl. Bd. of Review 1945: Director (Renoir); Venice Film Fest. 1946: Film.