"The Shepherd of the Hills" was strangely enough John Wayne's first color film, and if I'm not mistaken likewise for the veteran Harry Carey. It was beautifully photographed in technicolor and is reminiscent of Director Henry Hathaway's earlier color film, "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine" (1936).
A mysterious stranger, Dan Howitt (Carey) arrives in th Ozarks amid a group of moonshiners looking for a piece of land on which to settle down. He turns up at the Lane cabin where he finds Jim Lane (Tom Fadden) and his young daughter Sammie (Betty Field). Lane has been wounded by revenue agents hunting down the moonshiners. Howitt tends his wounds and saves his life making a friend of Sammy in the process.
Later Coot Royal (John Qualen) bursts in looking for help for his young daughter whose breathing is labored. Howitt goes along with Sammy to Coot's cabin where he dislodges a food scrap from the young girl's throat, allowing her to breathe normally. He also pays for an operation for Granny Becky (Marjorie Main), to restore her sight. As a result of his actions, Howitt becomes known as the Shepherd of the Hills.
Young Matt (John Wayne) has been carrying a grudge for his father who abandoned himself and his mother years earlier. Matt's mother died and Matt has carried the hate for his father for all those years. He had been raised by Aunt Mollie (Beaulah Bondi) and Old Matt (James Barton).
Howitt, as luck would have it, purchases the piece of land on which Young Matt's original home stands. This angers Young Matt who tries to drive the stranger off. But then he learns the stranger's secret and.........................................
In spite of the magnificent setting, this film is a bit of a soap opera. It doesn't take one long to figure out what is going on. In spite of a good fight between Wayne and Ward Bond, and the finale, the film is lacking in action. There are no real villains in the story. The apparent romance between the Wayne and Field characters is only touched upon.
Also in the cast are Samuel S. Hinds as Andy Beeler, the sheriff, Marc Lawrence in an off beat role as Pete the mute son of Bondi and Fuzzy Knight, who sings a song as he had in the earlier film.
This was I also believe, the first film that Wayne made with his friend and mentor Harry Carey whose mannerisms Wayne adopted in many of his later films.
A mysterious stranger, Dan Howitt (Carey) arrives in th Ozarks amid a group of moonshiners looking for a piece of land on which to settle down. He turns up at the Lane cabin where he finds Jim Lane (Tom Fadden) and his young daughter Sammie (Betty Field). Lane has been wounded by revenue agents hunting down the moonshiners. Howitt tends his wounds and saves his life making a friend of Sammy in the process.
Later Coot Royal (John Qualen) bursts in looking for help for his young daughter whose breathing is labored. Howitt goes along with Sammy to Coot's cabin where he dislodges a food scrap from the young girl's throat, allowing her to breathe normally. He also pays for an operation for Granny Becky (Marjorie Main), to restore her sight. As a result of his actions, Howitt becomes known as the Shepherd of the Hills.
Young Matt (John Wayne) has been carrying a grudge for his father who abandoned himself and his mother years earlier. Matt's mother died and Matt has carried the hate for his father for all those years. He had been raised by Aunt Mollie (Beaulah Bondi) and Old Matt (James Barton).
Howitt, as luck would have it, purchases the piece of land on which Young Matt's original home stands. This angers Young Matt who tries to drive the stranger off. But then he learns the stranger's secret and.........................................
In spite of the magnificent setting, this film is a bit of a soap opera. It doesn't take one long to figure out what is going on. In spite of a good fight between Wayne and Ward Bond, and the finale, the film is lacking in action. There are no real villains in the story. The apparent romance between the Wayne and Field characters is only touched upon.
Also in the cast are Samuel S. Hinds as Andy Beeler, the sheriff, Marc Lawrence in an off beat role as Pete the mute son of Bondi and Fuzzy Knight, who sings a song as he had in the earlier film.
This was I also believe, the first film that Wayne made with his friend and mentor Harry Carey whose mannerisms Wayne adopted in many of his later films.