The grand old house stands on an extensive estate, for generations home to the Whiteoaks, prosperous Canadian farmers. Ruled by a sharp-tongued but benevolent matriarch, life flows on much as it always has, evenly & predictably. But when two brides are brought home on the same day, passions are unleashed that will bring heartbreak, despair & death, right to the very core of JALNA.
Based on a Canadian bestseller, this unpretentious film has been unfortunately ignored. Filled with both charm & good acting, it rewards thoughtful viewing.
All of the performers do a fine job: Ian Hunter as the brother too busy running the farm to have a life of his own; David Manners, in arguably his finest role, charming & self-centered as the brother with a poetic bent; Theodore Newton, blunt & passionate, as the brother determined to find love; sister Peggy Wood, jilted by hearty neighbor Nigel Bruce, suffering noisily for twenty years; Sir C. Aubrey Smith & Halliwell Hobbes as the old bachelor uncles; Jessie Ralph, as the peppery 99-year old grandmother, wise with age; and Kay Johnson, compassionate & sensible, as the American newcomer who marries into the family.
Notice the interesting way the film introduces the characters in the first scene, by panning around the supper table & labeling each actor.
