• Nice smooth lyrical tracking shots through the southern farm and cotton fields
  • Pretty much ignored at the time of release for a bunch of reasons- Variety review from 1945 was hard on it for being the wrong kind of film for these time during the war—it is, largely- a depressing almost neo-realism-like film. Very pessimistic
  • Naturalism and realism
  • It was also disliked by the French for Renoir making a US/Hollywood film and it was disliked by many americans for it’s take on the south, directed by a Frenchman
  • Some poor form here with the narrator that doesn’t really make sense and it’s part of the action for portions and they no allusions to his reason for narrating or some of the inconsistencies there
  • Colorful comedic supporting characters (like granny here) have long since been a Renoir trademark
  • In the archives and recommend but not in the top 10 of 1945
  • Recommend