Try as I might this was one of those films that I honestly couldn't bring myself to get too enthused about. Although I thought that the the acting was more than adequate the fact remains that the overall story just didn't entertain me that much. If anything I thought most of it was kind of depressing. But that's just my opinion. Now, I understand that this movie is highly rated and that David Ladd won a Golden Globe Award for "Best Juvenile Actor" in his role as "David Chandler". It was well deserved. On that note, I also liked the performance of Alan Ladd (as "John Chandler") and Olivia de Havilland ("Linnett Moore"). I even liked the dog named "Lance" (King). But the drama was drawn out a bit too much for my liking. Along with that I thought the story was also somewhat predictable. As a result I have to give this movie a score that might seem quite low to some viewers.

I'm surprised how bad this boring, slow movie is, what with the star cast, director, production values, etc. One poster here described it as "low-key." A very correct assessment. The title of the movie is "The Proud Rebel." The main problem with the movie is that the makers were TOO PROUD, SO PROUD that they apparently felt that anything of an interesting nature was too pandering to the audience. Thus, the movie was seriously lacking: (1) no romance between Olivia and Alan. They had good chemistry, and you knew they were going to eventually hook-up, but there was absolutely no sweet talk, hugs, kisses, etc. (2) there was hardly any action. In the beginning there was a nice fist fight, but it was just a tease. You could hardly call it a Western. No "Shane" for sure. (3) it exasperated me that the movie used a ploy typical of many movies. I find it nice when the characters explain things to each other -- it's realistic and it moves the story along. But in this movie --for the sake of dragging things out-- the characters stay mum. One example: late in the movie Alan Ladd has to sell something -- it would help the sale and clear some things up if he explained why he needed so much money, but he is too stupid or "proud" to explain himself. Another example: in the very beginning --for the sake of the story, no doubt-- in the court room scene where he is accused of brawling, he doesn't defend himself. The judge asks who threw the first punch. Ladd, in effect, pleads guilty. The truth is that the two thugs he fought shoved and grabbed Alan twice and his son once; only then did Alan slug the lout. Why stay mum? Not due to pride, due to stupidity and the need to drag out the plot.I'm sorry I didn't walk away from the film, but the score was nice (promised better than the movie delivered) and the cinema-photography too. Last five minutes are fine (action, resolution). Nice enough family movie -- families with young kids.

The Proud Rebel is directed by Michael Curtiz and adapted by Lillie Hayward & Joseph Petracca from the story "Journal of Linnett Moore" written by James Edward Grant. It stars Alan Ladd, Olivia de Havilland, Dean Jagger, David Ladd, Cecil Kellaway & Henry Hull. Jerome Moross scores the music and Ted McCord is the cinematographer. It's a Technicolor production and the location for the shoot is Cedar City, Utah, USA.John Chandler (A Ladd) is a proud Southerner, the Civil war war may be over but he is still finding hostility in the North. He is searching for a doctor who can help his mute son David (D Ladd) speak again, the youngster has been unable to talk since the death of his mother in a fire at the family home. After being taunted for his Southern roots, John gets into a fight that lands him a 30 day jail term. Luckily a kindly local lady called Linnett Moore (Havilland) offers to pay the fine to keep John out of jail, she can see that young David needs his father, and a man about her farm will come in handy. From here John gets involved with Linnett's struggle to keep her land from ruthless local landowner Harry Burleigh (Jagger). Burleigh and his sons will do what it takes to get their way. As bonds and affections are formed, some real tough decisions must be made, can the proud rebel, and those he cares for, triumph in adversity?.Make no mistake here, this film is as formulaic as it comes, any fan of the genre that reads the plot synopsis will know exactly what to expect. That, however, doesn't mean this isn't a smashing film, because it completely is. It's the kind of film that that all family members can sit in front of the TV and enjoy. When a plot arc in a film involves the bullied standing up to the bullies it's always rewarding, but The Proud Rebel doesn't just stop at pulling that particular heart string, it pulls at a couple of others involving the quest for David to speak again, and a lovely emotive strand involving Lance the dog. Even tho the expected finally arrives, you would have to be made of granite to not feel like whooping with joy as you swat away that fly in your eye.Michael Curtiz directs and does, as usual, a brilliant unfussy job, but even he would surely have acknowledged the integral part the score plays in this story. Jerome Moross' score is simply wonderful, every frame comes to life as the music itself envelopes the characters and also brings them to life as well. Gorgeous and at times desperately sad, it's a score very much to savour. Alan Ladd as John slips quite easily into Shane mode, acting opposite his son David, he emotes with great conviction, and during some of the more sadder scenes he is quite heartfelt and believable. Olivia de Haviland as Linnett Moore is sturdy and tough, how nice it is watching de Haviland perform so well in this type of role. The supporting actors are all effective, most notably Jagger, Kellaway and of course young David Ladd, whilst keep an eye out for future great character actor Harry Dean Stanton.If you like Shane and films of that ilk then this is for you, a perfect family picture that pulls at all the respective emotional threads. 7/10

This is by no means going to win any major critical awards for originality or tricky effects. It isn't going to win Alan Ladd any post-humous Oscars. But when one just feels like watching a movie... who really cares? For that type of Saturday afternoon frivolity, this film is certainly worth a try.The film depends on a typical boy-and-his-dog storyline, giving it a slight twist when the other relationship in this story-the one between a father and his son-takes priority in the tale.The effect of this whimsical fable is enhanced when one realizes that Alan and David Ladd are indeed father and son, and imagines the bond presented on the screen to be one that could have existed in real life. One is also saddened by the remembrance of Ladd Sr,'s drunken death at the age of 55.In other words, it's not a two handkerchief picture, but it's more than worth a shot.