Customer Reviews

Proud Rebel [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the story of a Southern father, played by Alan Ladd, who is heading North (just after the Civil War) to find medical treatment for his mute son, played by David Ladd. The boy underwent some trauma during the war that has left him unable to speak. When the elder Ladd gets into trouble, farmwoman Olivia de Havilland bails him out with the judge, leading to his working on her farm to pay off the debt. She's having trouble with her neighbour Dean Jagger, so she needs all the help she can get. The Proud Rebel is a well made family western, with a little more emphasis on the family than on the western. Since they were, of course, a real life father and son, the Ladds have an excellent, real chemistry together on screen as well, with much quiet emotion. The younger Ladd is especially good in his role, delivering a very natural, believable performance. As the independent farmwoman, Olivia de Havilland may not seem to be the likely choice, but she is terrific in her characterization, bringing a mixture of warmth and toughness to her, as well as some good chemistry with both the Ladds. Director Michael Curtiz balances the action with the family relationships and sentiment, and the result is a film well worth viewing.

Proud Rebel is a fine story. Alan Ladd and his son are perfect in their roles; the senior Ladd bringing to Rebel much of the same characterization he brought to "Shane." A good watch, and worth having in a home library.

Alan Ladd is a veteran who has returned from the war to find his house destroyed, his wife dead and his son missing. He finally locates his son in an orphanage, but his son is so traumatized from watching his mother killed and his home destroyed that he cannot utter a single word.

Ladd packs up what is left of the family treasures (he was, before the war, a well-to-do man) and sets out, consulting one doctor after another, trying to find one who can cure his son.

His search leads him to a small town where a lone woman owns a farm. This strong-willed woman is played, oddly enough, by Olivia de Havilland, and she plays the part as convincingly as all the sweet-woman roles she has played. When he hears of a doctor in Rochester, Minnesota who might be able to cure his son, Olivia volunteers to take the boy there, while Ladd guards the farm from a neighbor who has been trying to force the woman out and grab her land.

There are surprises and a tense action sequence at the end. Unlike the Amazon spoiler, I won't tell you how it comes out. But it's a satisfying and convincing ending.

The son, by the way, is played by David Ladd, Alan's real-life son. David said in a documentary on Alan Ladd that playing that movie with his father was one of the high points of his life. See Alan Ladd: True Quiet Man. It's a must for all fans of Alan Ladd and for those who wonder why this magnetic actor was so under-used and wasted by the studio system.

My husband and I went to a theater in Toas New Mexico. That was in August of 1958. We enjoyed the movie very much. I'm sure we will enjoy having it to watch again.

First a word about 'gray market' DVDs--
Often, transfers are not of the highest quality. The movies themselves are unrestored and rarely pristine (but still watchable), extras are non-existent and inclusion of artwork or liner notes varies by manufacturer.


Michael Curtiz's THE PROUD REBEL is a family-oriented western. This high-quality production stars Alan Ladd, his 11-year-old son David and Olivia de Havilland, who as sheep rancher Linnett Moore accurately appears without noticeable makeup or modern hairstyle.

The Ladds portray father and son, John and David Chandler. David hasn't spoken a word since he witnessed his mother's death in a Civil War fire incident. John thinks some doctor somewhere can cure the boy. In their wanderings up north, John gets into a fight caused by others, and an unsympathetic judge sentences him to either pay a fine or spend 30 days in jail. Miss Moore makes a deal with John to cover his fine in exchange for a month's work on her ranch. A close friendship develops from this employment contract.

When the obligation to her is fulfilled, John elects to stay on with Linnett after her barn is torched by the sons (Stanton and Pittman) of Harry Burleigh (Jagger), the rancher who got him in trouble with the law. John asks Linnett to take David to a doctor in Rochester, Minn. while he guards her home, but needs to quickly raise three hundred dollars travel expenses. He sells David's dog, Lance without the boy's knowledge.

David undergoes an apparently unsuccessful surgery in Minnesota and returns only to learn that his beloved pet is gone. To set things right with his angry son, John searches for the dog and finds that Burleigh now owns it. He goes to Burleigh's place to buy Lance back but the rancher and his sons have set a deadly ambush for him. The still-mute David sees that his father may get shot to death and struggles to catch his attention, but fails...


Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 imdb viewer poll rating.

(6.6) The Proud Rebel (1958) - Alan Ladd/Olivia de Havilland/David Ladd/Dean Jagger/Cecil Kellaway/Harry Dean Stanton/Tom Pittman (cameos: John Carradine/Mary Wickes/Percy Helton)

This DVD of THE PROUD REBEL is worth buying, though the color in the picture is a bit faded. Alan Ladd films are not easy to find anymore, and this one is special. The obvious bond between him and his son, David, who play father and son in the movie, is beautiful and touching to watch. Olivia de Haviland is excellent, too. As in SHANE, Alan Ladd's best remembered film, the central characters in this movie also have the sort of noble intention and personal integrity that isn't found much in current movies. I love this film---just wish they'd remaster it, so the color would be restored to it's original richness.

I already had a copy of the more expensive DVD of this film, but had been disappointed with it because the color was rather faded. Since I love The Proud Rebel, I took a chance and bought this new, less expensive DVD and was very pleasantly surprised to find that the color has been restored! This copy of the film is much more satisfying to watch.

Other reviewers have given a good synopsis of the story. I'd just like to add that this is a quality film suitable for the whole family. Olivia DeHaviland is excellent as always, David Ladd is adorable and touching as the young boy who is mute, and Alan Ladd gives a subdued and poignant performance as the proud former Confederate soldier searching for a cure for his son. The scenes between Ladd and his real-life son are heartfelt and genuine. The final close-up of Alan Ladd's face, tears of happiness and relief in his eyes at the satisfying conclusion is exquisite.

This particular DVD version of The Proud Rebel is very nicely priced and well worth having. I highly recommend it.

"HBO" Edition of this movie has Clear Video and Sound Quality. I recommend purchasing "HBO" dvds instead of most of these unknow/little-known companies that appear to be making bad copies of vhs tapes (this is my opinion only).

Great story. The title could have referred to the woman lead, as she was ahead of her time, and proud to be able to run her ranch herself in those times. Always enjoy Alan Ladd, one of my favorite actors, who displayed honesty and integrity.

The Reel Enterprises issue of this film has the initials "RE" prominently writen right on the film all the way through it, or as far as I watched it before returning it. The color was also faded. After returning it for that reason, I bought the Synergy Ent. version. The color is far better. Although the issuing company also put some writing right on the screan, it is very light and not nearly as distracting as the RE version. The film itself is excellant, very reminiscent of "The Yearling" in its tone. Fine acting all around. Ruining a movie by putting your name or initials, or other writing on it, is not acceptable when it is done on television, but when you are purchasing a movie it is intolerable.