The Green Promise (1949)

Walter Brennan and his four children move onto a new farm in the small town of "Millwood". He is stubborn, has his ways of doing things and despite advice from the local land agent "Barkley" (Robert Paige) he ploughs on regardless of the warnings that his methods could cause soil erosion with dangerous consequences. It's only when he has an arboreal incident that breaks his leg, and he becomes bedridden that his children - led by the eldest "Debbie" (Marguerite Chapman) take things in hand. She is a bit soft on Paige and soon manages to combine some more efficient farm management techniques with a little romance - much to the chagrin of her "my way or no way" papa. Meantime, younger sibling "Susan" (Natalie Wood) has some industrial plans of her own - she (aged 11 in this) decides to chip in to their economy by borrowing 75 dollars from the local co-op bank and rearing two hardy lambs... It is Wood's performance that really steals this. Though at times a bit over-enthusiastic with her efforts, she delivers an engaging and human performance that belies her youth and inexperience. Her tit-for-tat battles with elder sister "Abigail" (Connie Marshall) are quite fun, and to be honest I felt really quite sorry for the lone brother in all of this mayhem "Buzz" (Robert Ellis). The story is simple, one of rural folks trying to make ends meet in tough times; facing new challenges - personal and professional - and Brennan and Wood keep it from clogging with too much sentiment well, with an epic storm sequence at the end that is really well staged and menacing, too!