Watched this lovely film today. It is a very nice rainy afternoon on the box sort of film. "Rachel's" acting was understated and I loved all the bits when she proudly put up with the insults and then went and had a little cry when she was on her own.
Sadly, had to go out just as the house got burnt down and missed what actually happened at the end!!
...and my tesco dvd rentals club don't have it either!!
Can any kind soul enlighten me please?
Hey syedab,
The house-burning scene is very near the end. I think there’s actually less than five minutes left after that scene. Robert Mitchum peacefully accepts that he hasn’t been chosen by Rachel and he leaves to carry on his hunting lifestyle and to find himself a wife, and says he’ll visit them again the following spring. In the very end William Holden wins Rachel back by saying she has truly become the son’s new mom. I think Rachel asks the son to run some sort of an errand and when the kid rolls his eyes to heaven, Holden snaps at him “Do what your mom tells you!”, and then all three of them smile happily at each other because they realise she really has finally become a proper member of the family. Then Holden leans in to kiss his bride and the film fades to black with a big orchestral sigh! Lol.
Hope that was of help. Really nice movie, by the way.
The Indian attack on the house causes Holden, Young and Mitchum to go to the cellar to await their fate. Either they will be rescued or will go to their deaths. Dissolve to the next scene where gunshots are heard. It is Tom Tully (the Parson) and co., with Young Davey to the rescue. The entire main level is basically destroyed, as is the loft. Mitchum goes on his way. "No more bedroom, no more loft," says Big Davey. The spinet is damaged, but the metronome (the sole reminder of Susan, is broken in pieces). William Holden compliments Loretta Young by saying, he will build a new case for the spinet and that he liked the way she played. He also looks at the metronome, finally realizing that the past is gone, to which he says to Loretta Young, "There's a lot ahead of us," and to that Young is in agreement. Young Davey (Gary Gray) finds Pistol the dog, who was hiding. Young Davey mentions to Young that he is hungry, and she responds that the fireplace is still there, and that he should go down to see if there are any fish in the trap, and she will cook breakfast. The kid says that he is all "tuckered out", to which Big Davey (Mr. Holden) finally acknowledges Rachel as his wife, and responds, "Davey, do as your Ma says" - the boy looks at Holden and smiles, Holden turns his head to Young and smiles, and moves to her and kisses and embraces her. Fade to black with the Rachel theme turned up a notch.
One of my favorite films of all time - very underrated Holden performance - he and Mitchum used to rile Loretta Young with the curse word box, so if and when an expletive was let loose, they would be fined. Mitchum once put a large bill in there and let out a string of bleeped words, so he could swear to his heart's content.