简介：ThefilmissetincolonialVirginiabetweenthe1750sand1781.MattHoward(CaryGrant),orphanedsonofabackwoodsVirginiafarmer,useshisconnectionswithhisschoolmateTomJeffersontogetemploymentasasurveyorandagrantofathousandacresontheShenandoah.WhilesurveyingtheWilliamsburgestateofplanterFleetwoodPeyton(CedricHardwicke)hemeetswithPeyton'ssisterJane(MarthaScott).Forbothofthemitiseternalloveatfirstkiss,anddespitedifferencesofclassandculture,andtheenmityofFleetwood,JanemarriesMattandfollowshimtohiscabininthewestcountry. Withinafewyears,theestateisthrivingandthecabinonthehillsidehasbecomeagraciouscolonialhome.Thereareminorconflictswithneighborsandovermanners,buttheHowardssuccessfullyraiseaclutchofchildren.Theonemajorinstabilityisovertheeldestson,PeytonHoward,whoseinheritedlamenessremindsMattofhishatedbrother-in-law,andwhomMattthereforecannotloveorevenbringhimselftotouch.Astimepasses,andconflictwithEnglandlooms,MattissentbyhisneighborstotheHouseofBurgessesinWilliamsburg,whereheandFleetwoodrepresenttheextremerebelandTorypositions. In1776,theentirefamilymovesbacktoWilliamsburgaswarthreatens,andafterthepassageoftheVirginiaresolutionforindependence,MattleavestofighttheBritishunderGeneralWashington.Afewyearslater,afterquarrelingwiththeiruncleovertheirfather'srebelstand,PeytonandhisyoungerbrotherJamesareexpelledfromthePeytonhome,andtheytoogonorthtojoinupwiththeirfather,andareacceptedasdispatchridersforWashington. Listeningunseentohistwosonsarguingoverthemeritsoftherebellion,MattHowardrealizesthatPeytonisclosertohisownprinciplesandpoliticalbeliefsthanhisbelovedJames,andhetriestocommunicatehislove.Butwargetsintheway:PeytonissentwithamessageforLafayette,andweseehimshotoffhishorsebyaBritishpatrol.MattandtherestofthearmytrudgesouthtomeettheBritisharmy,whichisbottledupnearYorktown.WhenthearmyreachesWilliamsburg,MattforceshiswayintoWashington'spresenceandasksafterPeyton:hismissionhadbeentodrawtheBritishfiresothatothermessengerscouldgetthrough,buthewasmerelywoundedandisrecuperatingbackathome. AtFleetwoodPeyton'shouseMattfindshissonandtheyreunite,togetherwiththeirmotherandtherestoftheHowards.TheoddmanoutisFleetwood,whohasbecomecynicalandbitterattheoutcomeofthewarandwhatheseesasthedestructionofTidewatersociety. Thefilmwascommerciallyunsuccessfuldespiteanexcellentcast;CaryGrantwasoutofhiselementplayingabackwoodsAmerican,andthescript,thoughliterate,wasnotreallystrong.Thepoliticalconflict,thoughrealenough,isneverarguedintelligently:MattandFleetwoodseemtobemerelyactingouttheirclasspositions.Andtheclassconflictwithinthemarriageneverreallysurfaces,asJane'sbackwoodsestateismiraculouslytransformedintoaTaraminusalltheslaves. Thetimeschemeofthestoryalsoseemsinconsistent.Mattis12whenhisfatheriskilledwithBraddockintheFrenchandIndianWar(1755),sohewasbornin1743.Hissonsaresupposedly18and16whentheyjoinWashington'sarmyatValleyForge(1777-8),sotheywerebornin1760and1762.ThiswouldrequireMatttobe16,orevenyounger,whenhecourtsJanePeyton.Butneitherofthemissupposedtobeanadolescent,andofcoursetheactorsplayingthem,CaryGrantandMarthaScott,were35and27whenthefilmwasmade.…