If you’ve read this newsletter before, or you’ve chatted with me about movies, you’ve probably heard me speak fondly of the hicksploitation subgenre (most recently regarding The Hills Have Eyes).
I actually just watched this movie. Jean Renoir has a few interesting things to say about it in his autobiography; he really wanted to shoot more of it on location whereas Daryl F. Zanuck wanted to make it like a conventional studio project. (There's quite a lot of rear projection in the finished film.) Also, because Renoir was not a native English speaker Irving Pichel handled a lot of the dialogue.
I actually just watched this movie. Jean Renoir has a few interesting things to say about it in his autobiography; he really wanted to shoot more of it on location whereas Daryl F. Zanuck wanted to make it like a conventional studio project. (There's quite a lot of rear projection in the finished film.) Also, because Renoir was not a native English speaker Irving Pichel handled a lot of the dialogue.
Ooh, I need to track down this autobiography. Would love to read more about the making of this one.
I read it in French; not sure how available it is in English.
Also, Jean Negulesco directed a remake about a decade later, called Lure of the Wilderness, which is also streaming on Criterion this month.
Adding that to my watchlist as we speak!