It is pretty much a shame this a much forgotten movie...Jimmie Rogers, the pop singer from the 50s and 60s made his film debut as Chad, just Chad as a sort of homeless boy who is taken in by a family during the civil war and given food, shelter and a chance to work in the family business of farming and tree cutting. Chad is not illiterate, but is not too familiar with the ways of the world at that time during the pre and first days of the civil war. Rogers is looking to build a life and basically wanders to find his place in life. He has a romantic interest in the lovely Luana Patten (Song of the South as Jenny) but roams off to Lexington, Kentucky in the final months before the civil war. Here he is sort of discovered by a wealthy businessman played by Chill Wills, who takes him into his household as a son of his own, although Wills never has had children. Rogers wants to get a college education and Wills is only happy to provide the money to send him to a prestigious university in Lexington....Rogers then falls in love with a local lady whose father is a very influential man in local circles in Lexington. With the outbreak of the civil war Rogers decides to join the Yankee army, thus rejecting his southern upbringing. After fighting in the war and becoming an officer Rogers decides to return to his original hometown and rekindles his romance with the lovely Patten. This is a sort of folk type movie with local spins, and you can really get attached to the character Rogers provides. George Kennedy plays a heavy, a nasty local landowner who thinks that Rogers owes him work since the people Rogers lived with died and left their obligations still unpaid. Pretty much a down home type western...not the greatest acting, but Rogers and Patten make a very believable couple in the end. Sad, this film has never been put on video, but recently was on the Fox movie station on television....very hard to catch on TV...filmed in brilliant technicolor and Cinemascope in it's original release. Good film for the whole family to watch, nothing objectionable.
6 Reviews
If there was a face for the onward Christian soldier, it would belong to this film's Jimmie Rogers.
mark.waltz24 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
What would you do if the side of war you were asked to fight on wasn't the side you believed in? That's the case for young, handsome and innocent Jimmie Rogers, brought up in the mountains, pretty much on his own, and completely innocent in the ways of other men. It's the civil war era Kentucky and Rogers manages to avoid being made the personal slave of nasty George Kennedy, ending up a student at a Southern college where his character, gentility and moral nature impressed practically everybody.
He's taken into the home of wealthy widower Chill Will's who is on the verge of pretty much adopting him when Rogers makes the moral decision to support the north. The issue of slavery is never mentioned, but the fact that Rodgers even dares to go against the Confederacy makes him instantly hated by everybody who had come to love him including the pretty Luana Patton whom it was on the verge of marrying.
This spiritual drama deals with the conflicted nature of a man who grew up with next to nothing except the beauty of the land and whose innocence has developed his character into basically a peace-loving person. Rogers, on the shadows of fellow 1950s pop singer Elvis Presley, gives a gentle performance and truly will capture your heart. Members of the Confederacy are not presented as one-dimensional caracteratures, but each one having a love for the South and a proud respect of tradition that makes them all the more human even if the unspoken issue of slavery was the main conflict between the North and South.
This is beautifully filmed, with Rodgers getting to sing a few songs, and strikes some major points in various issues concerning the subject of war that still creates conflict in people today. had this dealt more seriously with the real issues of the time, I would have rated this higher, but could not find fault for it being left out even though it does seem a bit bizarre when you realize that that issue would not be dealt with. In fact, I got so much into the story and like a good bulk of the characters on both sides that I never even thought of the fact that there wasn't even one black character seen in the entire movie.
He's taken into the home of wealthy widower Chill Will's who is on the verge of pretty much adopting him when Rogers makes the moral decision to support the north. The issue of slavery is never mentioned, but the fact that Rodgers even dares to go against the Confederacy makes him instantly hated by everybody who had come to love him including the pretty Luana Patton whom it was on the verge of marrying.
This spiritual drama deals with the conflicted nature of a man who grew up with next to nothing except the beauty of the land and whose innocence has developed his character into basically a peace-loving person. Rogers, on the shadows of fellow 1950s pop singer Elvis Presley, gives a gentle performance and truly will capture your heart. Members of the Confederacy are not presented as one-dimensional caracteratures, but each one having a love for the South and a proud respect of tradition that makes them all the more human even if the unspoken issue of slavery was the main conflict between the North and South.
This is beautifully filmed, with Rodgers getting to sing a few songs, and strikes some major points in various issues concerning the subject of war that still creates conflict in people today. had this dealt more seriously with the real issues of the time, I would have rated this higher, but could not find fault for it being left out even though it does seem a bit bizarre when you realize that that issue would not be dealt with. In fact, I got so much into the story and like a good bulk of the characters on both sides that I never even thought of the fact that there wasn't even one black character seen in the entire movie.
Blue Grass vs. the Hills
bkoganbing13 April 2018
This third version of The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come, the previous two were silent, stars pop singer Jimmie Rodgers as the kid with no antecedents and
looking for roots in ante bellum Kentucky. As we know Kentucky was a slave
state and its location made it of paramount importance to retaining the Union
intact.
Jimmie's character an orphan kid whose foster parents die and George Kennedy in his screen debut claims his services as an apprentice to God knows what trade as payment for debts. But mountain family and Union supporting Turner family takes Rodgers in and he becomes a shepherd. Their settlement, a hillbilly Shangri-La like place called Kingdom Come.
Later on however he goes down to Lexington and starts mixing with the genteel society as typified by Chill Wills who takes him in sends the bright kid to school for some education. But war clouds gather and Rodgers is forced to make a choice Union or Confederacy.
Kentucky had plenty of supporters of both and it was quite the battleground in the early stages of the Civil War before the North nailed it down. Lots of families split on this issue and friendships were broken. The film graphically demonstrates the anguish of broken relationships.
The battle scenes by director Andrew McLaglen were also well staged for this film. Watching it I thought that this might have been something originally intended for Elvis Presley. Had he done it the film might be better remembered.
Try to catch this one when broadcast, it's a sleeper a good film that few seem to have heard of.
Jimmie's character an orphan kid whose foster parents die and George Kennedy in his screen debut claims his services as an apprentice to God knows what trade as payment for debts. But mountain family and Union supporting Turner family takes Rodgers in and he becomes a shepherd. Their settlement, a hillbilly Shangri-La like place called Kingdom Come.
Later on however he goes down to Lexington and starts mixing with the genteel society as typified by Chill Wills who takes him in sends the bright kid to school for some education. But war clouds gather and Rodgers is forced to make a choice Union or Confederacy.
Kentucky had plenty of supporters of both and it was quite the battleground in the early stages of the Civil War before the North nailed it down. Lots of families split on this issue and friendships were broken. The film graphically demonstrates the anguish of broken relationships.
The battle scenes by director Andrew McLaglen were also well staged for this film. Watching it I thought that this might have been something originally intended for Elvis Presley. Had he done it the film might be better remembered.
Try to catch this one when broadcast, it's a sleeper a good film that few seem to have heard of.
A real good surprise...
searchanddestroy-116 December 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I won't tell the story again, the other comment did it very well. When I put the disc in my DVD player, I was a little afraid of what I was up to watch. I suspected a western oater for the whole family and made for Disney Channel. Actually, I chose this item because it was one of the first of Andrew mac Maglen films. And a rare movie too. But I was scared to get bored in a oater, as I had watched in the past for a couple of those "false" westerns.
In fact, it is a oater for the first half, but after this it becomes a real western, well a western around the civil war scheme, as Mac Laglen gave us four years later with SHENANDOAH; the story of a South family during this very same Civil War between the states. A wonderful movie made for Universal Studios. I thought of this one when watching LITTLE SHEPPERD...Except the actors are not so great, although good enough to give adequate atmosphere to this little film released by FOX. Speaking of TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX, I will always be amazed by the fact that this company made or only released those films in Cinemascope, with sometimes long length - 108mn for this one - and starring no great actors. See for instance Gordon Douglas's THE FIEND WHO WALKED THE WEST, the western remake of KISS OF DEATH. The Douglas's film was with nearly unknown actors, and it was made in LBX and was not shown as a B movie...
The producer of LITTLE SHEPPERD is Maury Dexter, who directed many of those features only released by the FOX, short movies - 70mn for post of them - and shown in LBX...
I am really surprised by this.
In fact, it is a oater for the first half, but after this it becomes a real western, well a western around the civil war scheme, as Mac Laglen gave us four years later with SHENANDOAH; the story of a South family during this very same Civil War between the states. A wonderful movie made for Universal Studios. I thought of this one when watching LITTLE SHEPPERD...Except the actors are not so great, although good enough to give adequate atmosphere to this little film released by FOX. Speaking of TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX, I will always be amazed by the fact that this company made or only released those films in Cinemascope, with sometimes long length - 108mn for this one - and starring no great actors. See for instance Gordon Douglas's THE FIEND WHO WALKED THE WEST, the western remake of KISS OF DEATH. The Douglas's film was with nearly unknown actors, and it was made in LBX and was not shown as a B movie...
The producer of LITTLE SHEPPERD is Maury Dexter, who directed many of those features only released by the FOX, short movies - 70mn for post of them - and shown in LBX...
I am really surprised by this.
Amazing!
chelratee27 October 2015
The best film I've seen in a little long time. This film should be on everyone's Holiday must see list along with Its a Wonderful Life. Once you see it you will Love it! It's very much the old fashioned family movie with a variety of important morals people need more of. It used to be a requirement in films that now seem to be a lost talent. We need more positive influences in our daily life and this film can help bring some of those good values back. Watching a good movie like this can remind a person of what's really important in life. As someone once said, "You slide down in your seat and make yourself comfortable. On the screen in front of you, the movie image appears— enormous and overwhelming. If the movie is a good one, you allow yourself to be absorbed". This movie does just that. True enjoyment!
A splendid adaptation!
JohnHowardReid21 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Copyright 22 December 1960 by Associated Producers, Inc. Released through 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. No New York opening. U.S. release: January 1961. U.K. release: 23 April 1961. Original length: 108 minutes. Cut to 79 minutes for general theatrical release, but restored to 108 minutes for TV transmission.
SYNOPSIS: Following the death of his family, a Kentucky mountain boy named Chad wanders into the small town of Kingdom Come and is taken in by kindly Caleb Turner and his family. Though he is attracted to pretty Melissa Turner, Chad has a desire for travel and education and he floats logs down river to Lexington. There he is befriended by wealthy Major Buford who helps him through college and introduces him to the local gentry. With the coming of the Civil War, Chad elects to fight with the North, thereby alienating him from his new friends.
NOTES: Film debut of Jimmie Rodgers. This is the third time the novel has been filmed, although it is the first talking version. It was first made by Samuel Goldwyn in 1920; Wallace Worsley directed and Elliott Clawson did the screen adaptation. It was later remade by First National in 1928. This version was produced and directed by Alfred Santell, written by Bess Meredyth, and starred Richard Barthelmess as Chad and Molly O'Day as Melissa.
COMMENT: "Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come" marks the end of director McLaglen's first phase of his film career. Three years later, he would return to the big screen with none other than John Wayne as "McLintock".
"Little Shepherd..." is also Barré Lyndon's last screenplay (though his teleplay "Dark Intruder" was released theatrically in 1965). With pacey direction, a well-crafted script, an interesting cast plus Crosby's fine 'Scope photography to recommend it, you'd expect a fair amount of interest among collectors and film fans in this picture. But it seems to have slipped into an undeserved obscurity. Maybe casting Jimmie Rodgers was the big mistake, though he does extremely well by the title role. But you know what it is with pop singers — acclaimed today, utterly forgotten tomorrow.
In fact Rodgers had already lost most of his fickle fans to Fabian Forte before the movie was even released. A pity the picture should suffer because the star was suddenly "cold". But that's Hollywood!
SYNOPSIS: Following the death of his family, a Kentucky mountain boy named Chad wanders into the small town of Kingdom Come and is taken in by kindly Caleb Turner and his family. Though he is attracted to pretty Melissa Turner, Chad has a desire for travel and education and he floats logs down river to Lexington. There he is befriended by wealthy Major Buford who helps him through college and introduces him to the local gentry. With the coming of the Civil War, Chad elects to fight with the North, thereby alienating him from his new friends.
NOTES: Film debut of Jimmie Rodgers. This is the third time the novel has been filmed, although it is the first talking version. It was first made by Samuel Goldwyn in 1920; Wallace Worsley directed and Elliott Clawson did the screen adaptation. It was later remade by First National in 1928. This version was produced and directed by Alfred Santell, written by Bess Meredyth, and starred Richard Barthelmess as Chad and Molly O'Day as Melissa.
COMMENT: "Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come" marks the end of director McLaglen's first phase of his film career. Three years later, he would return to the big screen with none other than John Wayne as "McLintock".
"Little Shepherd..." is also Barré Lyndon's last screenplay (though his teleplay "Dark Intruder" was released theatrically in 1965). With pacey direction, a well-crafted script, an interesting cast plus Crosby's fine 'Scope photography to recommend it, you'd expect a fair amount of interest among collectors and film fans in this picture. But it seems to have slipped into an undeserved obscurity. Maybe casting Jimmie Rodgers was the big mistake, though he does extremely well by the title role. But you know what it is with pop singers — acclaimed today, utterly forgotten tomorrow.
In fact Rodgers had already lost most of his fickle fans to Fabian Forte before the movie was even released. A pity the picture should suffer because the star was suddenly "cold". But that's Hollywood!
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