Charming and brutal

A Major Disappointment

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

There are more than just two families in each mountain valley, and for two families to have a violent, open feud proves to be a tragedy to everybody. One family matriarch (Beaulah Bondi) desperately wants to see the feud end, giving birth to youngest son Spanky McFarland during a shoot-out. When a lumber company comes into the area, more violence is erupted thanks to a relationship that grows between pretty Sylvia Sidney and company foreman Fred MacMurray.Excellent color photography adds atmosphere to the outdoor settings, so beautifully captured here. Henry Fonda plays Sidney's other brother who turns to violence to protect what is his. Beaulah Bondi gives a quiet, wise performance that has her appearing to be actually older than her years. Fred Stone is her concerned husband, fighting a feud for reasons he isn't quite sure of. MacFarland proves himself to be quite a talented young actor. You may see his Our Gang character of Spanky there, but you sure won't feel he is that character.This is a tragic story of family pride taking over their souls as they loose each other thanks to a misguided hatred where revenge has no other effect than begetting more violence.

Only yesterday i was watching an old sitcom "My 3 Sons' starring Fred. I noticed that the teacher's role was played by Sidney...and right away I made the connection to this film, when my big sister took me to the movies. It was my first viewing of a Technicolor movie and as a kid I was anxious to see "Spanky". It was too grown up for me at 8 years old to absorb the story line. I was more taken with the color, Spanky and the song they kept playing throughout. I liked the song and recall, the theater showed a Popeye comedy which was in color also, and the hit song that was played in it was "Did You ever see a Dream Walking, well I did"...I also noticed that my sister and her boyfriend were smooching on sneaks...LOL

It's a wonderful movie - good story - well written & well acted by a better than ordinary cast. Spanky Mac Farland was a jewel in his role & Fred MacMurry & Henry Fonda performed well. Buelha Bondi proved to be a surprisingly good (to me, at least), actress. She carried more than her share of the movie. The scenery, the filming of that beautiful area, the first movie, shot outside, in color, should have won an Oscar. I'm still disappointed that it didn't. if you haven't seen it - SEE IT!!!

I saw this movie when I was 15 years old and never forgot it; I now have a copy of it and watch it often and enjoy it as much as when it first came out in 1936.