Green Grass of Wyoming *** (1948, Peggy Cummins, Charles Coburn, Robert Arthur, Lloyd Nolan, Burl Ives) – Classic Movie Review 3462

Based on the novel by Mary O’Hara, director Louis King’s colourful 1948 slice of Americana about two families who are rivals in trotting horse racing is cute and charming. The big white stallion Thunderhead causes problems for the Wyoming ranchers when he leads their racing mares to join his wild horse herd in the mountains.

Practised scene-stealing old stars Charles Coburn and Lloyd Nolan are excellent as the patriarchs, Beaver Greenway and Rob McLaughlin. And it is hard not to succumb to this ingratiating film’s sweet sentiment when the true love of Coburn’s niece Carey Greenway (Peggy Cummins) for Nolan’s son Ken McLaughlin (Robert Arthur) brings everybody together. This is certainly the film for those who want to know about the business of trotting horses.

It’s a very smooth ride thanks to the polished direction by King. Charles G Clarke’s Oscar-nominated Technicolor cinematography makes it look a handsome treat, too.

Also in the cast are Burl Ives as Gus, Geraldine Wall as Nell McLaughlin, Robert Adler, Will Wright, Herbert Heywood, Richard Garrick, Charles Tannen and Charles Hart.

It is the third in the My Friend Flicka series, after My Friend Flicka (1943) and Thunderhead – Son of Flicka (1945), both with Roddy McDowall.

Flicka was revived in a reboot in 2006, with Alison Lohman, Tim McGraw and Maria Bello.

‘Flicka’ means ‘girl’ in Swedish.

Peggy Cummins, born on December 18 1925 in Wales, is known for Gun Crazy (1950) and Night of the Demon (1957).

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3462

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/