The Proud Rebel (1958)
Sort of a family western with a clear moral message about doing what is right and showing compassion for both family and strangers. Very conventional with the main characters being hundred procent good and morally right and the antogonist are simple greedy people that will stop at nothing to expand their business.
All the elements for what it is trying to achieve works, but it doesn’t bring any surprises. Alan Ladd plays the good father well and his own son David Ladd plays the mute son equally well. Olivia de Havilland delivers a solid performance as the the farm lady, though I didn’t feel like the script gave her enough room to show why she so quickly came to see the boy almost as her own son. It was however refreshing to see a subdued romance with two actors both in their forties.
On the whole the movie is just very conventional and feels longer than it actually is. It was fine but quickly forgettable.
Rating: 3