Fonda gives one of his more natural early performances. Really liked that it was evocative locations and not studio sets, and all enhanced by quite gorgeous Technicolor photography that is a long way from being primitive now. It is most notable for being the first three strip Technicolor film to be shot on location and not studio sets, but there is so much more to 'The Trail of the Lonesome Pine' than just that with it being a fine and overlooked film in its own way.įirst and foremost, the production values are wonderful. It is not one of my favourite films, but there is so little to fault and so much to recommend (the best assets, the production values and acting, being outstanding). 'The Trail of the Lonesome Pine' showcases all of them really, really well. 'The Trail of the Lonesome Pine' was also interesting to see an early film from then young director Henry Hathaway, a couple of his most famous films being 'True Grit' and 'How the West Was Won'. Even more appetising was the amount of talent there was in the cast, including Henry Fonda and Fred MacMurray in early roles, the always lovely Sylvia Sidney and Beulah Bondi could be counted upon to give a good performance in anything.

Reviewed by TheLittleSongbird 9 / 10 Feuding trailĪlthough the story sounded very familiar (same title as the beautiful Laurel and Hardy song), the title sounded appetising. He soon captures the attention of the beautiful June Tolliver (Sylvia Sidney) and quickly becomes involved in a love triangle with her and her cousin Dave (Henry Fonda) -tonyman

With plans to build a railroad through both families' land and mine coal deposits beneath it, enterprising outsider Jack Hale (Fred MacMurray) inadvertently becomes entangled in the region's politics. A feud, the origins of which can barely be remembered, has been boiling for decades between two sheltered mountain families, the Tollivers and the Falins.

The trail of the lonesome pine cast