Product Details

• Actors: Henry Fonda, Maureen O'Hara, James MacArthur, Donald Crisp, Wally Cox
• Directors: Delmer Daves
• Writers: Delmer Daves, Earl Hamner Jr.
• Producers: Delmer Daves
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: Unrated
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: February 6, 1995
• Run Time: 118 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (73 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303212255
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #186,807 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Long before Henry Fonda played an irascible patriarch in On Golden Pond, he played an equally crusty family man in this warmly rustic, 1963 drama Spencer's Mountain, based on an Earl Hamner Jr. novel that later inspired the television series The Waltons. Fonda plays Clay Spencer, a fiercely independent, hard-drinking, foul-mouthed Wyoming laborer who believes in God but rejects (to his tiny community's consternation) organized religion. Scraping together enough money to build a new house for his wife (Maureen O'Hara) and nine children, Spencer runs into an obstacle to both his plans and family pride when his college-bound son (James MacArthur) romances the daughter of Spencer's boss. Director Delmer Daves whips up a kind of morose schmaltz out of the earnest material, but it's Fonda's grit and heartland integrity that carry the day and establish some self-effacing wit. Some nice features here, including interviews with Fonda and a short documentary, "Spencer's Mountain: Grand Teton Premiere." --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Proto-Walton, April 3, 2006

By 

John A Lee III "jal3" (San Antonio, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spencer's Mountain (DVD)

Anyone familiar with the long running TV series, THE WALTONS, will immediately see some similarities in this film. It was written by the same author but predates the Waltons in terms of its production. Still, there are many similarities as well as a few differences.

The Waltons takes place during the era of the great depression. Spencer's Mountain has the 1950's written all over it although it never gives a particular time. The Waltons takes place near Walton Mountain in the Southeast while this film takes place near Spencer's Mountain in the Grand Tetons. The TV series had John-Boy as the eldest son of the family and the movie has Clay-Boy in the same role. Both of these young men seek knowledge and thirst for education. The patriarch of both families is relatively poor and struggles to provide for the family but is a faithful husband and father with those duties as the top priority. Both are wholesome and a bit of Americana. Somebody who liked the Waltons should like Spencer's Mountain as well.

Henry Fonda plays the lead and does so in a likeable manner. He will sacrifice anything, including his dreams, for the sake of his family. Maureen O'Hara plays the mother. She is a good, church going woman and the anchor of the family. James MacArthur plays the eldest son. He is dutiful but yearns to get away and better himself. He wants to do something besides work in the quarry all his life.

As I said before, it is all very wholesome fare. I don't think it's as good as the Waltons but it is still very good.

34 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When family entertainment was heart felt., March 30, 2005

By 

Rick D. Barszcz (bristol, ct United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spencer's Mountain (DVD)

This is still one of my old time favorites. Great acting, breaktaking landscapes, wonderful music score and a moral message that we in this new century will never see the likes of again. This is pure entertainment from beginning to end. The struggles of growing up, first love kiss, a father's love for his wife and kids (rare these days)and the togetherness of the American family that no longer exist. If you need an education or weather you just want to watch a great older film this is the one for you and it is suitable for all ages which even the "G" rated films of today are questionable. You won't go wrong. You'll laugh and you'll cry and say I remember it well.

42 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic Delmer Daves production, August 29, 1999

By 

sherebiah (Santa Ana, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spencer's Mountain [VHS] (VHS Tape)

"Spencer's Mountain" , written by Earl Hamner, Jr. of "The Walton's" wrote this script in the 1950s and it shows. Like many of the Delmer Daves movies of this era, this film combines a Max Steiner score, great cinematography and a heart-tugging story from a more innocent America. This is a great movie to get lost in, enjoy, and have a good cry. I sit back and re-live this film at least once a year.