Story of small-town life in turn-of-the-century America, and a young boy's problems facing adolescence.Story of small-town life in turn-of-the-century America, and a young boy's problems facing adolescence.Story of small-town life in turn-of-the-century America, and a young boy's problems facing adolescence.
Charley Grapewin
- Dave McComber
- (as Charles Grapewin)
Edward J. Nugent
- Wint Selby
- (as Edward Nugent)
Baby Peggy
- Schoolgirl at Graduation
- (uncredited)
Tommy Bupp
- Boy with Fireworks
- (uncredited)
A.S. 'Pop' Byron
- Nickolas
- (uncredited)
Bruce Cook
- Boy
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe gazebo in this film, a symbol of the typical American town, was built specially for the movie. That gazebo was gifted to the city by MGM and is still in use in Grafton Commons.
- GoofsBelle's mole on her cheek/upper lip disappears halfway through her scene, then reappears later.
- Quotes
Richard 'Dick' Miller: I'm afraid I was born a hundred years before my time.
Muriel McComber: I was born ten days ahead of mine.
- Crazy creditsThe opening credits appear as though embroidered.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
- SoundtracksLong, Long Ago
(1883) (uncredited)
Music by Thomas Haynes Bayley
Played during the opening credits and often in the score
Featured review
Eugene O'Neill's only comedy is a winner.
This film is a veritable treasure for those who appreciate small-town Americana at the turn of the century. Set in New England in 1906, we see the plethora of events typical of the era: the high school graduation with individual seniors singing, reciting poetry and the valedictorian speech; the Fourth of July celebration with fireworks and picnics; the careful relationships between the young boys and girls; the close-knit family life with a sister and brother of the parents living with them. I thoroughly enjoyed Clarence Brown's depiction of this lost innocent era, which produced a warm glow within me as I watched. There are very few belly laughs - one I remember was when the protagonist Eric Linden says to his not-so-clever girl (Cecilia Parker) "I was born 100 years before my time" and she responds "I was born 10 days before mine." But I found myself smiling often at the goings on. Eric Linden carries the film beautifully.
The rest of the cast is superb: Lionel Barrymore and Spring Byington as Linden's parents; Mickey Rooney and Bonita Granville as his younger siblings; Aline MacMahon as Byinton's spinster sister and Wallace Beery as Barrymore's alcoholic brother. But I was particularly impressed with Helen Flint playing the vamp who Linden gets involved with when he was drowning his sorrows. The title, by the way, is a line from the poem "The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám."
The rest of the cast is superb: Lionel Barrymore and Spring Byington as Linden's parents; Mickey Rooney and Bonita Granville as his younger siblings; Aline MacMahon as Byinton's spinster sister and Wallace Beery as Barrymore's alcoholic brother. But I was particularly impressed with Helen Flint playing the vamp who Linden gets involved with when he was drowning his sorrows. The title, by the way, is a line from the poem "The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám."
helpful•150
- Art-22
- Jan 20, 1999
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Ah, Wilderness!
- Filming locations
- Grafton, Massachusetts, USA(exterior scenes)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 38 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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