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The YearlingRating:
Release Date: 02 March, 2004 Retail Price: $9.98 OUR Price: $9.98 You SAVE: $0.00! Cast: Complete Cast (10 total) |
The Yearling Reviews
Break out the hankies--a heartbreaker, well worth the weeping
Since I've been on a Jane Wyman kick this past couple of months, The Yearling finally ended up in the old DVD player. Boy--was I in for a surprise. I expected to like it just because she's in it (does she ever let us down? Nope.) But, I thought it would be a lighter film than it is, more animal story than deep, moving, insightful look at both the glory and horror of life.
Focusing on the story of Jody, a lonely but loving boy growing up in post-Civil War Florida, it shows how the rough conditions and the difficulties of scraping a living shape him and his family as they struggle to survive, physically and emotionally. Three terrific performances. OK, sure, there are a few awkward, stagey moments, but these are easily overlooked when compared to the strength and beauty of the rest of it.
Not for young kids--too sad--but certainly great fare for the rest of the family to watch and discuss.
A noble coming of age film.
Most of what I wanted to say has already been stated in the review by R. Baker of May, 2006.
There are, however, a few more points that I could make.
I would agree that Jane Wyman does some fine work here. As Ory, her life & world has all of the bleakness and none of the promise that her husband is able to find. She even berates him, at one point, not for cheerfulness but for his stoic attempt to find solace in a comparison to Job. Her laconic attempt at storytelling and Ezra and Jody's response only reinforce the audience's perception of her character as a woman in torment.
As for Peck, I've always thought that To Kill A Mockingbird was a fine film but I enjoyed this father role just as much and probably more. He can bring "forceful" and "dignified" together like no other film father can-not even Spencer Tracy. (Peck's The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit was also a good film).
Claude Jarman Jr. anchors this story though, with a performance of great power that is not only evident in the climactic scenes, but in the quieter ones as well-ie. his badgering pa to let him have a raccoon for a pet, his resolute promises to Ezra not to let Flag destroy more crops, his wonder at the things that he learns from his parents and through the events that transpire.
The anguish in those later scenes-when he yells at the animal to run away-and the lashing out at his mother in the shooting incident-is palpable. You feel all of it-his rage at his mother,his bitter disappointment in his father; his anger & frustration at what circumstance has forced him into; and the sadness in the loss of his friend.
A wonderful and noble coming of age film.
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