StunnaKrypto
Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.
Roman Sampson
One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.
Celia
A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.
wes-connors
Following the US Civil War, Confederate soldier Alan Ladd (as John Chandler), his skittish 10-year-old son David Ladd (as David Chandler) and their dog "Lance" move from Georgia to Illinois. They are looking for a smart Northern doctor to examine young Ladd, who hasn't been able to speak since he witnessed his mother die by fire. The doctor examines the boy's throat and tells Mr. Ladd the muteness is likely psychological. We hear the younger Ladd make noises one would associate with healthy vocal chords, although he mainly communicates with sign language. After visiting the doctor, Ladd gets into a fight with one-armed sheep rancher Dean Jagger (as Harry Burleigh)...The nastiest guy in town, Mr. Jagger tries to dog-nap Lance, correctly realizing the pooch would make an ideal sheepdog. For an older guy, Ladd puts up a good fight against Jagger's strong young sons, Dean Stanton and Tom Pittman (as Jeb and Tom). However, Ladd gets knocked out cold and dragged to the local judge. For being a "Reb" and losing the fight, Ladd is sentenced to 30 days or 30 dollars. Luckily, spinsterish but still good-looking Olivia de Havilland (as Linnett Moore) has arrived for her opening scene. She takes charge of young David and offers to employ dad Ladd on her 200 acre farm, so he can pay his fine. Of course, the Jagger gang causes violent trouble for the trio...De Havilland acts admirably, but the best notices for "The Proud Rebel" went to the younger Ladd. He won the sporadic "Juvenile Actor" of the year from both Film Daily and the Golden Globes. Given an "Introducing" credit, David Ladd had been acting with his father for several years. He even had a minor role in his dad's extraordinary "Shane" (1953). "The Proud Rebel" feigns such similarity, it almost seems like David blurts out "Shane!" at a pivotal point. Of course, he does not. If you haven't seen the earlier film, do so. This one is nicely directed and photographed, by Michael Curtiz and Ted McCord. There's little magic, but just imagine you were a boy born in the late 1940s.****** The Proud Rebel (1958-05-28) Michael Curtiz ~ Alan Ladd, David Ladd, Olivia de Havilland, Dean Jagger
edwagreen
Terrific western with David Ladd stealing the show as a lad whose vocal chords were paralyzed after he witnessed the death of his mother during the civil war.Dad Alan Ladd, who portrays David's father in the film, looks for every way possible for his son's voice to be restored.After meeting up with Olivia De Havilland in a chance meeting when he is jailed and the tables turned on him by an evil Dean Jagger and his sons, the latter trying to wrestle control of Linnett's farm so that they may extend their sheep herding.Lassie film lovers move over. The boy is enamored with his dog Lance and Ladd sells the dog to pay for an operation that appeared to be unsuccessful.Naturally, the dog was sold to Jagger who plots to kill dad Ladd after promising him that he can have the "worthless" dog back, only to want to kill the Ladd character as a dog stealer.Emotion abounds in the film as De Havilland comes to love the Ladd character and the boy.Co-starring Eli Mintz, of the television "The Goldberg's fame as a store keeper. Cecil Kellaway is appealing as a Quaker doctor.
ra-kamal
The boy, David, is the focal point of this movie. The movie had a resounding impact on young boys coming of age in the late 50s and into the 60s. Its powerful impact at the time is what made it a successful movie. The many emotional ups and downs throughout the movie dealt with a wide variety of issues faced by a devoted war veteran father from the south, trying hard to steer away from violence as he travels the Midwest seeking medical resolution to his traumatized son who had been struck by aphasia after witnessing his mother's burning death in a Civil War atrocity . Some of the issues viewers are exposed to include the tragedies during and after the Civil War, the western range wars, the disenfranchisement of the southerners, an evil rancher and his evil sons, a frontier love story, and a son-dog-father saga. The traumatized boy-cum-hero is superbly portrayed by child actor, David Ladd, who becomes the film's hero at the climatic gunfight at the end of the movie, saving his father, reuniting with his dog and regaining his voice. The developing love story between the father portrayed by the ever stoic and stiff Alan Ladd and the widower farmer portrayed by Olivia de Havilland, takes second stage to the tear-jerking scenes superbly portrayed by the boy in two scenes: when he learns that his father had sold his dog, and when he regains his ability to speak at the end of the movie. A well-crafted movie and an outstanding performance by David Ladd who was eleven years old when the film was released.The theme of the skilled gunfighter trying to lead a gun-free productive civilian life but is thwarted and forced back to his firearm to right an injustice, is a theme that recurs numerous times in western movies. In fact, this theme is quite common in the most successful of westerns including this movie, Shane and High Noon. The overriding message of this genre of movies is: if you are unjustly treated (justice commonly portrayed as inept or corrupt), then you may take up arms and take justice into your own hands, even if it means killing others. The hero and his gun are paramount.
ivan-22
There's good stuff in this movie, particularly the subtle music and the incredible views. The camera is also quite fine and unobtrusive. And the simple, sweet story is good too, enhanced by the real life father and son bond. Not so appealing are the obligatory firecrackers at the end. Definitely better than Shane.
