Whether the song fit or did not...

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but I've never heard anyone object to the use of "Going Home" for the dance sequence. I think it makes that scene poignant and touching, when Jan Clayton lifts her voice in song.

I too find the film gripping from start to finish. Excellent work from the entire cast.


"Somewhere along the line, the world has lost all of its standards and all of its taste."

The tune is the Largo movement from Dvorak's New World Symphony: I don't know whether the lyrics were written for the movie or whether the song came from elsewhere. I thought it was very effective; after all, most of these people would like nothing more than to go home. If, however, the movie weren't compelled to--as all movies & all media are--simplify, we'd know there are those better off not going home.

51depasser

All I can say is how I reacted. I found the song, the moment in the movie haunting and touching. To me the song made the mood more somber, and certainly a strong touch of longing. I could imagine the longing in the people in the institution. I could also think of times I have and may long to go home.

My sister and I watched this film when we were children,circa late 1950's. She got akick out of the "I am the First Lady of the Land" bit. But something about The Snake Pit struck us. Maybe because we were raised by our single mother, who had a hard time of it.

Just the other day I watched it when it ran on cable. I'm now 61 years old and still teared up at the "Going Home" scene.

I can see your point while at the same time I did not feel the song detracted from the forward-thinking and intelligent nature of the film. I was expecting just another of those old mental asylum horror story films, and it turned out to be intelligent, well-researched and even sensitive. Although some of the nurses were of the hard-bitten, tyrannical type one would expect and fear, we never got the feeling Virginia would be abandoned to their cruelties.

By the way, William Farmer wrote the lyrics in 1922. People mistakenly thought it was a 'Negro spiritual.'

Still not sure how I feel about the Goin' Home sequence. It's funny - I had always heard the song literally before, about actually going home, but for the first time while listening to Clayton sing this here I started to think the song must be about death. Words like these stood out to me as those of someone going to their 'heavenly rest':

"Work all done, care laid by
Going to fear no more

Mother's there 'specting me
Father's waiting, too"

I wonder whether Fisher was worried people would think that and that is why he added the lines:

"There's no break, aint no end
Jus' a livin' on
Wide awake with a smile
Going on and on"

Hmm, that could still be about death. I don't know what I think.