And the Title...?

After watching this film, as well as the 1948 John Ford version AND Hell's Heroes (1930) my question is - why the title here? OK, of course the public was familiar with the 1913 Peter Kyne book and earlier film efforts. But -

The key in these other two films based on the novel is the childbirth episode. The three outlaws are implored by the abandoned mother, dying in labor, to literally become the godfathers for her newborn son. A very moving scene in both films. But here (1936) the title has no clear connection to the mother's death - she just fades away without that emotional pressure to save her baby. (I even watched it again in case I'd dozed off while viewing...)

And don't get me started on the (6-month-old?) baby - he's not a newborn and the childbirth (and godfathering plea) are totally missing! Seems like the director didn't want to deal with a newborn on the set, so just cut that - including the mother's plea, the men's study of her book on raising a baby, etc. etc.

Yes, this is a very good film overall, with a "youthful" Walter Brennan, Chester Morris and others telling the basic (Christmas-linked) story very well. *I was able to get both Hell's Heroes and this 1936 Three Godfathers in one DVD package from Amazon. Excellent purchase!



*Everything happens to me! Now Im shot by a child! (T.Chaney)