MovieChat Forums > Stars in My Crown (1950) Discussion > You have to be hard hearted not to like ...

You have to be hard hearted not to like this movie

posted 16 years ago by rprescot-2
6 replies | jump to latest

I saw this movie on TMC the other night. I think it's very very good. It evokes small town rural southern life very well - its rhythms, "characters", and underlying tensions. The direction is apt, especially the night scenes. The acting, especially the youngsters', is very good. Yes, it's a little hokey but, hey, it was made in 1950. There are a number of terrific vignettes, such as ... I don't want to spoil it, but trust me. Another poster mentioned the two blank sheets of paper - this scene is righteous - but the ending is very uplifting too: the good "heathens" come to church and the redeemed villain sings the hymn. It's not a great flick but very worthwhile. Joel McCrea's performance is very strong. Of course, look for James Arness and Amanda Blake –Matt and Kitty.

[–] liscarkat-2 14 years ago

This is a terrific movie, my favorite with McRea, along with "The Palm Beach Story". "Stars in My Crown" is actually a "great flick" even though it's not as well known as other films of its period. Seems to have just slipped through the cracks, somehow. Maybe it's too low-key.

I don't think 1950 had any sort of affinity for hoke, as the original poster implies. There was a hipness then that black-teeshirt-wearing nose-pierced college children of today wouldn't even begin to be able to comprehend. We tend to think we have reached the top of the flagpole of awareness, but one day 2010 will be nothing more than sixty years ago and people who were born later will speak nostalgically of what a simple time it was.

[–] todd-197 10 years ago

Three of my favorite films (top 25) involved lynchings and they are The Oxbow Incident, To Kill A Mockingbird and Stars In My Crown. If Frank Capra films, Strange Cargo, Keys of the Kingdom and Sargent York are hokey films, then please make many more.

[–] giverny98 10 years ago

You're right. I just saw it for the first time and fell in love with it.

When he read the will ... well I just lost it.

[–] wlharmon 10 years ago

I just recently saw this movie for the first time on TCM. What a great movie. I can't believe that I had never seen it before.

God How I Hate The 21st Century!

[–] Popcorngal (4345) 5 months ago

I just took it out the library yesterday? I hope it is good.

[–] deforest-1 9 years ago

It's so sickeningly sweet I could only stand the first twenty minutes then had to walk away. Does that qualify me as hard-hearted? Seems to me there's only one thing worse than leading a boring life -- and that's watching others having one on the screen.