Henry Fonda was imported from the original Broadway cast (104 performances) to make his screen debut opposite winsome Janet Gaynor and learned an important lesson in screen technique. Director Victor Fleming pointed out after the first day that Fonda was mugging - the ultimate insult that can be made to an actor. But, of course, as a stage actor he was playing to the back row and he was always grateful to Fleming for setting him straight. Henry is pretty near perfect as the shy, softly spoken young man who is quite determined that feisty Molly Larkin (Gaynor) will become his wife but just as determined to become a farmer. When he tries to explain to Molly that the earth means life, his sincerity makes you believe in him and when he becomes exasperated at her love of the Erie Canal, he says "I never spoke so much in my life" - the audience must have laughed.
Walter D. Edmond's rustic comedy drama (based on his book "Rome Haul") about life along the Erie Canal fitted Henry Fonda's talents like a comfy slipper. He did two more Edmonds based movies, "Drums Along the Mohawk" and the enchanting, under rated "Chad Hanna". The Erie Canal was an important waterway that officially opened in 1825 but the film is set during a tenuous time in the late 1840s when the canal was threatened by the encroaching railway. The film also incorporated a few folk songs as well.
The time frame is established by the only chilling scene in this folksy movie. A visiting actor's son spends a day aboard a canal boat and overhears a couple of old timers talking about up and coming senator Abraham Lincoln - how people are going to hear of him etc. He pipes up and claims he has never heard of him (Lincoln) but everyone is going to hear of him someday - of course he is John Wilkes Booth!!!
Apart from Fonda and Gaynor, the film's biggest drawcard is it's homespun characters who populate the water front where the most popular entertainment are the fights that frequently occur between rival boat owners. A man is measured by how eagerly he wants to engage in a brawl, so when Dan Harrow (Fonda) leaves the river on business just at the moment fighting Jotham Klore (fantastic Charles Bickford) is looking for him, Molly is left shamed and snubbed by the townsfolk. Bickford attacked every role he was given with gusto and this part was no exception. His Klore is always the centre of attention whether walking alone drunk, in the centre of a crowd or commanding Molly to fix him some food (she was originally his cook). The anticipated brawl between Dan and Klore is over all too quickly but from what you see, Dan seems to be on the receiving end of some ferocious punches.
As well as Bickford, there is Slim Summerville as Fortune Friendly, a newly qualified dentist badly in need of some patients, Andy Devine as a "hog carrier", Jane Withers as Della, a pesky little girl always in the front row whenever a fight is announced and Kitty Kelly as Fortune's first unfortunate patient. Also Margaret Hamilton as a no nonsense towns woman who is Molly's good friend and last but not least that beautiful "starry" dapple grey horse (it looked like the horses coat was covered with stars).
Janet Gaynor had finally found her niche after years of being a sweet young thing in films such as "Delicious", "Adorable" and worse. She had always fought for roles with more depth and after "State Fair" (a film she was reluctant to do) she got her wish. Her peppery Molly Larkin was just the perfect contrast to Fonda's bashful Dan Harrow - she would pace up and down as word went around "Molly's got her dander up". But after "A Star is Born" she didn't take any more chances and retired at the top.
Walter D. Edmond's rustic comedy drama (based on his book "Rome Haul") about life along the Erie Canal fitted Henry Fonda's talents like a comfy slipper. He did two more Edmonds based movies, "Drums Along the Mohawk" and the enchanting, under rated "Chad Hanna". The Erie Canal was an important waterway that officially opened in 1825 but the film is set during a tenuous time in the late 1840s when the canal was threatened by the encroaching railway. The film also incorporated a few folk songs as well.
The time frame is established by the only chilling scene in this folksy movie. A visiting actor's son spends a day aboard a canal boat and overhears a couple of old timers talking about up and coming senator Abraham Lincoln - how people are going to hear of him etc. He pipes up and claims he has never heard of him (Lincoln) but everyone is going to hear of him someday - of course he is John Wilkes Booth!!!
Apart from Fonda and Gaynor, the film's biggest drawcard is it's homespun characters who populate the water front where the most popular entertainment are the fights that frequently occur between rival boat owners. A man is measured by how eagerly he wants to engage in a brawl, so when Dan Harrow (Fonda) leaves the river on business just at the moment fighting Jotham Klore (fantastic Charles Bickford) is looking for him, Molly is left shamed and snubbed by the townsfolk. Bickford attacked every role he was given with gusto and this part was no exception. His Klore is always the centre of attention whether walking alone drunk, in the centre of a crowd or commanding Molly to fix him some food (she was originally his cook). The anticipated brawl between Dan and Klore is over all too quickly but from what you see, Dan seems to be on the receiving end of some ferocious punches.
As well as Bickford, there is Slim Summerville as Fortune Friendly, a newly qualified dentist badly in need of some patients, Andy Devine as a "hog carrier", Jane Withers as Della, a pesky little girl always in the front row whenever a fight is announced and Kitty Kelly as Fortune's first unfortunate patient. Also Margaret Hamilton as a no nonsense towns woman who is Molly's good friend and last but not least that beautiful "starry" dapple grey horse (it looked like the horses coat was covered with stars).
Janet Gaynor had finally found her niche after years of being a sweet young thing in films such as "Delicious", "Adorable" and worse. She had always fought for roles with more depth and after "State Fair" (a film she was reluctant to do) she got her wish. Her peppery Molly Larkin was just the perfect contrast to Fonda's bashful Dan Harrow - she would pace up and down as word went around "Molly's got her dander up". But after "A Star is Born" she didn't take any more chances and retired at the top.