The Yearling

This movie comes together and holds up even after nearly 60 years. This is a rural coming of age movie. Gregory Peck is perfect as the hard-working spare-looking father of a son who is on the brink of man-hood. He introduces him to women, fights, and necessary survival skills. There are difficult lessons. Peck is forced to shoot a doe in order to save his own life. He is a man in love with his child's growth process -- not forgetting what being a child is like, yet knowing that harsh lessons are necessary. Jane Wyman plays a wife who has hardened herself against being hurt by turning hard. Who can forget the scene showing the row of headstones. Claude Jarman is perfect as the yearling adolescent. His performance was so wonderful in this film that I think it is one ofthe reasons his career never reached superstar. He is able to depict the coltish behavior of the adolescent male perfectly. This movie remains a classic because the dialogue, the acting and the scenery all come together perfectly. Sometimes an actor becomes a star and then all one sees in the movie is the star's personality. This movie catches both Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman without their superstar persona. They are immersed in the roles; it's impossible to imagine any other performers in the roles; and it's one of the reasons the remake simply didn't do well.

This wonderful film is one of a handful that has the power to call me back to my childhood days and wrap me in warm memories of my Mom, Dad and little brother sitting around the television on Saturday night, watching the late show.

From the opening scenes of this beautifully photographed movie I found myself caught-up in the intriguing post Civil War story of a boy and his pet faun and their fantastic adventures on a scruffy Florida Everglades farm. The film stars Gregory Peck, Jane Wyman and Claude Jarman in the lead roles, with some of Hollywood's best character actors in the supporting roles.

Peck gives an Oscar caliber performance as the warmhearted father who does his best to make a better life for his family, with absolutely no help from the elements, which surround them. Jane Wyman brilliantly plays Orry, the hardened mother and wife who is so embittered by past tragedies in her life that she is unable to show any love for her one surviving child for fear of losing him as well. And Claude Jarman plays Jodie, the wistful young boy who is just one summer away from adolescence and all the emotional growing pains that come with it.

This story is laced with excitement and adventure sure to please the kids, but each of the adventures is also a great lesson in life that will stay with them for years to come. The cinematography is spectacular and received a well-deserved Academy Award and the wildlife scenes are incredible as well. Just watching Jodie romp through the woods with his faun is a joyous site to behold. The way Orry finally begins letting herself love her son will bring tears to your eyes. This movie was one of the most emotional experiences of my young life and I believe I am a better person from the lessons learned here.

I highly recommend this film, it is one to be experienced with your entire family.

Spencer Tracy was originally supposed to have played the father in 'The Yearling' with Ann Revere as his wife and some footage was even shot on ___location in Florida and later scrapped. But then, four years later, MGM decided to start again with Gregory Peck as the kindly father, Jane Wyman as his embittered wife and Claude Jarman, Jr. as the naive Jody whose love for a pet fawn is the centerpiece of the story. It was worth the wait. They are all well cast in this tender, warm-hearted story from the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings novel of a family living near the Florida everglades.

The technicolor photography is as impressive as the use of background music, especially in the scene where Jody playfully comes across the abandoned fawn. Jarman's emotions and the soaring score combine to make one of the film's strongest and most appealing moments. Jane Wyman was so convincing as the hardened mother afraid of losing her only child, that when she took her daughter to see the film she wouldn't speak to her for two weeks afterwards--unable to forgive her mother for the final action she takes in the film!

Ideal family entertainment and a must-see for anyone who has missed seeing this film classic. Claude Jarman, Jr. deserved his Academy Award and, although he had never acted before, was chosen from 19,000 applicants to play Jody. Peck plays the father with dignity and restraint, his love for the boy apparent in every frame of the film. An unforgettable coming of age tale, tastefully produced and faithful to the original source.

This is one of the great lost films. I run into ridicule every time I tell people it's one of my favourite films, but what a great film it is. It's got more treacle than Lyles, very sentimental and heart rendering, but I love it for that. It's also got one of the movie worlds most immortal lines when Ma Forester says of her recently deceased physically handicapped son "I lost ma boy!...ma poor crookedly boy". What a movie, takes me back every time. The essence of the main characters is perfectly portrayed by the main leads of Gregory Peck and Jayne Wyman, but Claude Jarman Jnr as Jody has a special place in my childhood. He plays the head-strong boy to perfection, with great depth and warmth. The Yearling will always live on.

Don't let the film's plot fool you, this is not just a story about a baby deer. This is a classic story of father and son and the relationship of love that they have. Peck and Jarman do a terrific job in portraying father and son. Many of the scenes are carried by their performances, especially close to the end. The scene where Peck is caught modeling one of his wife's dresses speaks to the entire film. The coming of age element with Jarman slowly becoming a man and Peck trying to teach his son what he needs to know to become that man is present. Some of the movie is comical and touching, but overall the message of the story is the love traded by father and son. You have to see this movie at least once. If you are a fan, you have no choice but to see it again.