Lure of the Wilderness

'Swamp Water' was fairly indifferent Renoir to begin with, and this remake with Walter Brennan recreating his original role compensates by being slightly less studio bound and photographed by ace Technicolor cameraman Edward Cronjager. (Franz Waxman's score is sometimes suitably eerie and sometimes unsuitably twee.)

It's also fun to see a young Jack Elam as one of the local rednecks. In the role originally played by Anne Baxter, Jean Peters looks as if she came straight off the set of 'Anne of the Indies', pausing only to discard her headscarf.

The setting really makes the movie. The swamp. Super photography and the acting is fairly decent. Reminded me somewhat of a Disney family movie.

Here is an unusual story about a girl and her father, who take refuge in the Georgia swamps as they try to evade a linching mob. The father (excellently played by Walter Brennan) had been wrongly accused of murder in a small neighboring town. The girl (who turns out to be the beautiful -and quite athletic - Jean Peters)grows up in the swamps, away from civilization, until a man (handsome Jeff Hunter) arrives at their campsite looking for his stray dog. Of course the two young actors eventually fall in love, but even this is believable and interwined into the action and adventure of this highly intersting film. Director Jean Negulesco offers us a well balanced and magnificently edited film that deals with prejudices and lies - which can be abundant in any small town. Very well acted by Peters, Hunter, et all...who award us with quite authentic southern accents, for a change.

I saw this movie in original release and have always wanted to see it again. It is beautifully acted by the entire cast, especially Walter Brennan. As usual, he was always an asset to any movie. The setting of the swamp gave the movie adventure,suspense and beauty. This is one classic that should be restored to its original state.

This film was based on the earlier "Swamp Water" - both great films. The earlier film also starred Dana Andrews and John Carradine. I loved all the Walter Brennan movies as well as his character, Grandpa Amos, in the TV series "The Real McCoys", which starred another late and great actor, Richard Crenna, as Luke.