Robert Arthur plays Ken Mclaughlin, a somewhat headstrong young man who spends the proceeds from the sale of some horses to buy a mare named Jewel; he thinks she’ll be an eventual trotting champion.
His father isn’t thrilled by that decision, but supports Ken in his efforts to train the mare. Meanwhile, the countryside is being “terrorized” by a wild stallion named Thunderhead, who Ken used to own.
Seems Thunderhead, being the stud that he is, keeps luring mares away from their homes. Eventually, he gets around to Jewel and really falls for her, to the point where he allows himself to be tamed again.
Against that backdrop, Ken finds time to romance young Carey Greenway. Her grandpa races trotters, too, and has a prized horse named Sundown. But these days, Beaver Greenway does more drinking than racing.
Review:
Decent family film, if you can get past the horse love story. Jewel won’t even race if Thunderhead isn’t nearby, and the film’s ending is a doozy.
But Arthur and Peggy Cummins, who plays Carey, are likeable in the lead roles. And Burl Ives provides the music and plays one of the hands on the McLaughlin family farm.
This marked the third in a series of 1940s horse films based on novels by Mary O’Hara, following “My Friend Flicka” (1943) and “Thunderhead — Son of Flicker” (1945). All the cast members playing the McLaughlin family changed this time around.
Directed by:
Louis King
Cast:
Peggy Cummins … Carey Greenway
Charles Coburn … Beaver Greenway
Robert Arthur … Ken McLaughlin
Lloyd Nolan … Rob McLaughlin
Geraldine Wall … Nell McLaughlin
Burl Ives … Gus
Robert Adleer … Joe
Will Wright … Jake Willis
Herbert Heywood … Mort Johnson
Richard Garrick … Charlie
Charles Tannen … Dr. Kimbrough
Runtime: 89 min.
Title tune: “Thunderhead” by Burl Ives
Memorable lines:
Rob McLaughlin about his son, Ken: “The boy’s got a genius for getting into trouble.”
Carey Greenway, after riding her horse to catch up to Ken for their date: “I must look a fright. Am I all wrinkled and blown to pieces.”
Ken McLaughlin: “Your wrinkles will come out, and I’ve got a comb.”
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