Stars in My Crown (1950)

Director:

Jacques Tourneur

Writers:

Joe David Brown (novel)
Joe David Brown (adaptation)

Release Date:

11 May 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family | Western

Plot:

Civil War veteran Josiah Grey comes to a small town to be a gospel minister. In time he has a family and many friends...

Plot Keywords:

Minister | Title Based On Song | Father Son Relationship | Horse Riding | Religion

Cast

Joel McCrea	...	Josiah Doziah Gray
Ellen Drew	...	Harriet Gray
Dean Stockwell	...	John Kenyon
Alan Hale	...	Jed Isbell
Lewis Stone	...	Dr. Daniel Kalbert Harris, Sr.
James Mitchell	...	Dr. Daniel Kalbert Harris, Jr.
Amanda Blake	...	Faith Radmore Samuels
Juano Hernandez	...	Uncle Famous Prill
Charles Kemper	...	Prof. Sam Houston Jones
Connie Gilchrist	...	Sarah Isbell
Ed Begley	...	Lon Backett
Jack Lambert	...	Perry Lokey
Arthur Hunnicutt	...	Chloroform Wiggins
Marshall Thompson	...	Narrator (adult John Kenyon) (voice)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (original rating) | USA:G (re-rating) (1971)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The film’s title is based on the hymn "Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown?" (originally titled "Will There Be Any Stars"); music by John R. Sweney, lyrics by Eliza E. Hewitt, circa 1897.

Stick With It

Hard to dislike any film with a character named Chloroform. Takes a while to get going and in fact, feels a bit meandering and even pointless for much of its running time, but the viewer needs to have a little patience. It dawdles its way to a surprisingly potent payoff. Jacques Tourneur's strengths as a director were in subtly establishing mood and atmosphere with a clean, crisp visual technique, primarily in spooky thrillers. He employs those skills to good effect here in, of all places, a small town western setting. His America is still in the awkward early stages of forming its cultural and spiritual identity. Lazy days followed by lawless nights. Chapel hymns compete with bar room fights. Tradition and progress keep bumping into each other, trading dirty looks.

If anything, it needs a bit more running time to develop all the relationships. It tends to skimp. And Tourneur was maybe not so gifted working with actors. James Mitchell as the progressive, practical new doctor in town seems somewhat ill-at-ease. Joel McCrea as the take charge parson is understated as always, but never hogs the spotlight and seems to have a great respect for The Story. Acting honors go to the fabulous Juano Hernandez as Uncle Famous, a peaceful black man who refuses to give in to racial intimidation in his own easy-going way.

And that ending packs a wallop. Won't soon forget the truly haunting image of those two blank sheets of paper (thought to be Uncle Famous' Will) being swept along in the wind. It may not be Uncle Famous' after all, but as McCrea states with utter conviction, "It's God's Will."