Often times we're disappointed with the film translation of great works of literature. However, it's unlikely most people have read The Red Pony, which is actually a conglomeration of four Steinbeck short stories. That being said, the film contains many characteristics typical of a John Steinbeck work: the metaphorical connection between nature and ourselves, characters who fit seamlessly into the landscape of the story, and at least one tragic scene resolving conflict that's antithetical in tone to the rest of the work. Director Lewis Milestone moves the story along at a leisurely pace, even for an hour and a half film, and the pace is balanced by Aaron Copland's memorable score, highlighting the energy and vigor required of living on a working ranch out west.
The film stars young Peter Miles as a boy who loves a red pony and who has lessons to learn about life and the adults around him. Myrna Loy is his strong-willed mother dealing with a husband who may no longer be committed to life on a ranch. Shepherd Strudwick is the boy's father who finds it difficult to relate to his son in light of his own conflict about ranch life and his misplaced resentment toward his father-in-law. Louis Calhern plays the father-in-law as an aging man whose stories of the past bore those coming after him, except for the young boy. Robert Mitchum plays the ranch hand Billy Buck serving as a surrogate father to the young boy in the father's absence in San Jose. All the performances are uniformly fine, especially the understated Mitchum.
Every Steinbeck story has a paradigm of sorts with characters, conflicts, settings, and symbolism. The Red Pony is no exception. The life cycle is also a thematic element Steinbeck draws upon. The film probably moves a bit too slow for some of today's viewers, but the color cinematography and music really make it worth viewing. A couple of familiar faces are Margaret Hamilton as the strict school teacher and a very young Beau Bridges, in only his third role, as one of the schoolmates. It's truly an enjoyable, worthwhile family film. A word of caution about the climactic scene regarding the pony and the buzzard: young children may find it disturbing. *** of 4 stars.
The film stars young Peter Miles as a boy who loves a red pony and who has lessons to learn about life and the adults around him. Myrna Loy is his strong-willed mother dealing with a husband who may no longer be committed to life on a ranch. Shepherd Strudwick is the boy's father who finds it difficult to relate to his son in light of his own conflict about ranch life and his misplaced resentment toward his father-in-law. Louis Calhern plays the father-in-law as an aging man whose stories of the past bore those coming after him, except for the young boy. Robert Mitchum plays the ranch hand Billy Buck serving as a surrogate father to the young boy in the father's absence in San Jose. All the performances are uniformly fine, especially the understated Mitchum.
Every Steinbeck story has a paradigm of sorts with characters, conflicts, settings, and symbolism. The Red Pony is no exception. The life cycle is also a thematic element Steinbeck draws upon. The film probably moves a bit too slow for some of today's viewers, but the color cinematography and music really make it worth viewing. A couple of familiar faces are Margaret Hamilton as the strict school teacher and a very young Beau Bridges, in only his third role, as one of the schoolmates. It's truly an enjoyable, worthwhile family film. A word of caution about the climactic scene regarding the pony and the buzzard: young children may find it disturbing. *** of 4 stars.