Movie #1043 ........................."The Proud Rebel"

Movie #1043 "The Proud Rebel" I caught on TCM the other night, and I hadn't seen it in a long time, nor had I critiqued it in this blog before, so I thought I would sit and watch it.  I was amazed at how good Olivia de Havilland was (and still is, probably, since she is still living) --- here is Melanie from GWTW, such a different character in this film.  But another feeling I had was how Alan Ladd wasn't as good as I remember him --- but then, I esp. like him in film noir films like "Blue Dahlia" with Veronica Lake, so I guess it's the limitations he had.  He is playing a cowboy here, much like in "Shane" so I guess I felt it was just a repeat, only he is older.  "Shane" is no doubt to me the better film, but what was interesting about this one is that his real son is playing his film son, and Ladd lets the boy dominate the screen.  I don't know much about Mr. Ladd, but I found him very generous to his other actors in this film, and he's more in the background.  The title probably refers to him, but the other people come across as more fitting the title.  And that was okay with me.  Bottom line?  okay film, but if I had a choice, I would pick "Shane" over this.

The Proud Rebel (1958)  |  103 min  |  Western  |  2 November 1958 (UK) I would give it 3 out of 5 stars A Confederate veteran living in the Yankee North struggles with his son's shock induced muteness and the hate of the Northerners. Director:  Michael Curtiz Writers:  Joseph Petracca (screenplay), Lillie Hayward(screenplay), 1 more credit » Stars:  Alan Ladd, Olivia de Havilland, Dean Jagger