THE FOXES OF HARROW
US, 1947, 117 minutes, Black and white.
Rex Harrison, Maureen O' Hara, Richard Haydn, Victor Mc Laglen, Vanessa Brown, Patricia Medina, Gene Lockhart, Hugo Haas.
Directed by John M. Stahl.
The Foxes of Harrow was a popular best-seller of the 1940s. It was written by Frank Yerby. The film provided a star role for Rex Harrison at the beginning of his American career (Anna and the King of Siam, Unfaithfully Yours, The Ghost and Mrs Muir). Maureen O' Hara is, once again, a vigorous heroine. The film has stylish black and white photography, covers a period of history from Ireland in the 18th century to New Orleans in the 1830s. The material is melodramatic, done with style and flourish. It was directed by John M. Stahl (The Keys of the Kingdom).
1. An adaptation of a popular best-seller? Best-seller plot and style? Period? Americana?
2. A film of the 40s, black and white photography, production values? Period, decor, atmosphere, score?
3. The best-seller style, the title, the saga and melodramatic treatment?
4. The Irish background, Stephen's mother, the birth, her being disowned, her gift to her son? Stephen on the Mississippi, gambling, being put on the sandbar? The chance encounter with Odalie? The rescue, the friendship with Mike Farrell and company, the repercussions? Andre and the taking of his trousers? Friendship? Brash entry into society? The party, behaviour, attitudes?
5. Stephen as a gambler, winning, winning the property, building Harrow? The slaves and the market? The relationship with Odalie and her family? His friendship with her father? His building, her years away? The opening of the house? The proposal?
6. The wedding and its pomp? The wedding night, Mike Farrell and his friends, Stephen drinking with them? Odalie and the locked door? The clash? Her pregnancy? The birth? The parallel with the black baby, the death of its mother? The little boy becoming the servant of the white boy? Stephen and the separation from Odalie? His wanting the perfect boy, training, the difficult horse rides and hurdles? Odalie and her hostility, her bending after some years, the drink together? The further clash? Stephen taking the mistress? The boy's death?
7. Stephen and his wilfulness, his love for Odalie, hostility, the boy, the grief at his death? The mistress? The money dealings, failure? Buying and advice to the money men of New Orleans? Odalie's appeal, the harvest, the new hopes?
8. Odalie and her haughtiness, the hostess at the party, the clash with Stephen at the visits, her unreasonable angers, going away, her father's pressure, decision to marry, the wedding night, observing her son and his growing up, the possible reconciliation, the boy's death, the visit to Stephen's mistress, the harvest, the burning, the reconciliation?
9. Odalie's father, his genial nature, friendship? Her sister and her marriage to Andre? Money, the Depression, the loss of property?
10. Andre, man about town, helping Stephen, marrying Odalie's sister, the clash with Stephen?
11. Mike Farrell, the rescue, rough, the wedding night?
12. New Orleans society, the French background, wealth, empires, depressions, slavery?
13. The slaves, voodoo, witchcraft and Stephen, Odalie going to the voodoo ceremony? The buying of the slaves, the African princess, the birth of her son, her death?
14. A piece of Americana - and best-seller historical and social issues?
