Verfluchtes Land (1941)

Verfluchtes Land: Directed by Henry Hathaway. With John Wayne, Betty Field, Harry Carey, Beulah Bondi. A mysterious but pleasant stranger arrives in the Missouri hills and befriends a young backwoods girl, which doesn’t sit well with her moonshiner fiancé who has vowed to find and kill his own father.

“This is John Wayneu0026#39;s first color film and my only complaint is that the cinematographer failed to pick up the unique almost purple color of his eyes!u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eTaken from a much-loved novel of the time, The Shepard of the Hills tells a simple story exceptionally well.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAn older man appears at a cabin door and gives aid without a question as to how the accident happened. He saves a child. He wants to purchase a piece of property and settle down.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe mountain people of the Ozark region do not welcome strangers, yet this man seems to fit in with his quiet ways and his vast knowledge of the outside world most of the mountain people have never seen.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHarry Carey is this quiet man. He is splendid in every scene. John Wayne plays u0026#39;Young Matt Matthewsu0026#39;a young man still mourning his mother and who has sworn a blood oath to kill the man responsible, his father.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBetty Field is marvelous as u0026#39;Young Mattu0026#39;su0026#39; girlfriend. Harry Carey thoughtful and quietly charming at u0026#39;Mr. Howardu0026#39;, the Shepard of the Hills, as his new neighbors call him. Beula Bondi is fascinating as u0026#39;Aunt Mollyu0026#39; and Margery Main shines as the blind woman that u0026#39;Mr. Howardu0026#39; sends to the city to have her sight restored.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMany of the scenes are extraordinary for their detail and sense of authenticity.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eSome are incredibly beautiful. For example, when u0026#39;Mr. Howardu0026#39; meets the young man who was struck by lightning and can no longer speak.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eA thoroughly absorbing and skillfully made film well worth watching again and again.”