THE PROUD REBEL was made in the late 1950s by Samuel Goldwyn Jr. It came along at a time when TV westerns were quite popular, but it offered something that could only be found on the big screen- a sweeping story about post-war life told in Technicolor. At this stage in their careers, the two stars were no longer playing young romantic leads, and what develops is essentially a mature romance.
Alan Ladd is cast as an ex-Confederate soldier heading north to Minnesota after the Civil War. Except for his pride, he has lost much of what he once had. Traveling with him is a young son (Ladd's own real life son David) who is now mute.
Due to traumatic shock, the boy hasn't uttered a word since the end of the war. It is the elder Ladd's hope that they might find a doctor in the Midwest with a cure. But when they speak to a physician (Cecil Kellaway), they're told the boy's inability to speak might be psychological, not physical.
Outside the doctor's office, they get into a fight with some men trying to steal the boy's dog. This leads to an arrest and quick trial. A judgment is rendered against the Ladds, and a $30 fine is imposed...but they have no money to pay it.
A solution presents itself when a farm woman (Olivia de Havilland) steps forward. She will provide lodging for both of them, if they do jobs on her land to pay off the fine. Soon tender feelings are shared between the adults while the woman forges a special bond with the boy.
The film presents several unique character studies, and the situations are simple but realistic. We watch southerners exposed to prejudices in Midwestern territory, and we also see a conflict escalating between Miss de Havilland and a neighbor sheep baron (Dean Jagger).
In addition to this, there is hope the boy's voice might be restored if he undergoes an operation. As the story unfolds, it is clear the Ladds have found more than just a temporary refuge with de Havilland. They've found a place where they belong, a place they can call home.
Alan Ladd is cast as an ex-Confederate soldier heading north to Minnesota after the Civil War. Except for his pride, he has lost much of what he once had. Traveling with him is a young son (Ladd's own real life son David) who is now mute.
Due to traumatic shock, the boy hasn't uttered a word since the end of the war. It is the elder Ladd's hope that they might find a doctor in the Midwest with a cure. But when they speak to a physician (Cecil Kellaway), they're told the boy's inability to speak might be psychological, not physical.
Outside the doctor's office, they get into a fight with some men trying to steal the boy's dog. This leads to an arrest and quick trial. A judgment is rendered against the Ladds, and a $30 fine is imposed...but they have no money to pay it.
A solution presents itself when a farm woman (Olivia de Havilland) steps forward. She will provide lodging for both of them, if they do jobs on her land to pay off the fine. Soon tender feelings are shared between the adults while the woman forges a special bond with the boy.
The film presents several unique character studies, and the situations are simple but realistic. We watch southerners exposed to prejudices in Midwestern territory, and we also see a conflict escalating between Miss de Havilland and a neighbor sheep baron (Dean Jagger).
In addition to this, there is hope the boy's voice might be restored if he undergoes an operation. As the story unfolds, it is clear the Ladds have found more than just a temporary refuge with de Havilland. They've found a place where they belong, a place they can call home.