Van Heflin plays Luke Fargo, who watched a preacher die during the Battle of Vicksburg and returns from the Civil War intent on teaching God’s word.
This comes as something of a shock to the folks back home, partly because of Luke’s reputation as a rowdy womanizer, partly because he fought for the North and is returning to a town bitter over the defeat of the Confederate cause.
Luke finds a young girl (Joanne Woodward as Lissy) nesting on the land where the town’s church once stood, takes her under his wing and sets about rebuilding that church.
Not everyone is anxious to see that happen, including Yancy Huggins (Raymond Burr), who seems to be against anything that threatens his grip on the town; and Georgina Decrais (Allison Hayes), a rich socialite ruined by the war who begs Luke to take her away from Yancy’s brutal grip.
Review:
A Western that doesn’t need shoot-outs or horse chases to be highly entertaining. Van Heflin turns in a fine performance as the reformed man who sometimes falls back on old methods for the sake of good. Raymond Burr makes for a convincing villain without ever pulling a gun. And Joanne Woodward steals the film as the foul-mouthed backwoods gal who at first resents Luke’s interference, then craves his approval.
The film has some wonderful moments. At one point, Lissy presents Luke with a couple chickens for dinner, but doesn’t tell him they were stolen until after he’s already started eating.
And near the end of the film, when Luke is trying to convince a bishop that he hasn’t been living in sin, that the young girl he’s been living with is just that, Lissy shows up suddenly looking much older in a saloon-girl get-up.
An interesting subplot has Burr’s character going out of his way to humble and disgrace Georgina, who’s forced to “be nice” to him so she and her mother can survive in the post-Civil War south.
Two years later, Woodward would win the best actress Oscar for her portrayal of a woman with multiple personalities in “All About Eve” (1957).
Directed by:
George Sherman
Cast:
Van Heflin … Luke Fargo
Joanne Woodward … Lissy
Raymond Burr … Yancy Huggins
Allison Hayes… Georgina Decrais
Philip Carey … Albert Loomis
Myron Healy … Floyd Miller
Nancy Kulp … Matty Miller
James Griffith … Swallow
Richard Webb … Big
Kathyrn Givney … Mrs. Decrais
Robert Burton … The Bishop
Runtime: 105 min.
Memorable lines:
Mrs. Decrais: “Did you see what a gentleman Mr. Huggins is now? Up by his bootstraps. Up, up so high. That’s not true. He’s just where he always was. It’s just that we sank so far beneath him.”
Georgina: “Why was it that every man from miles around became a fool when I smiled at him, while the only man I wanted … Luke, take me away from here. Don’t try to save the world. Save me.”
Lissy: “Does praying over ’em make these chickens un-stole.”
Luke: “What do you mean by that?”
Lissy: “You wearing blinders? Where do you think I get these chickens? Shoot ’em out of a tree?”
Georgina: “Am I supposed to stay with my mother and watch over her decay? Take charity from Collosus? Be nice to our store keeper?”
Luke Fargo gives her an unbelieving look.
Georgina: “How else do you think we eat?”
Luke: “You might try working. Put a seed in the ground sometime. And watch the miracle.”
Lissy to Luke: “I reckon if a girl wasn’t pretty, you wouldn’t have nothin’ to do with her. Even if she was so smart, she could skin a squirrel with her teeth.”
Selma, after an encounter with Lissy: “If she was cleaner, I’d chew off one of her ears.”
Luke, to the Bishop: “Sir, this is Lissy, and if she says anything that sounds honest, watch out.”
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