COME AND GET IT

US, 1935, 99 Minutes, Black and White.
Edward Arnold, Joel Mc Crea, Frances Farmer, Walter Brennan.
Directed by Howard Hawks.

Come and Get It is a film version of Edna Thurber's novel. She had written such novels as Showboat and Giant which were filmed spectacularly. This novel was filmed by action-director Howard Hawks in the mid-30s and receives lavish treatment of the times. Some of the final sequences are attributed to director William Wyler. Hawks is very much at home in the rugged outback of Wisconsin and in the logging sequences. Wyler was an expert at domestic sequences in many films. The film is still very enjoyable and has the popular ingredients that made Giant so popular twenty years later. Edward Arnold, a popular figure in so many films of the 30s, has an excellent role as the central character.

He is supported very well by Walter Brennan who won the first of his three Oscars for his performance. Usually he portrays the slow man of the West. Here he portrays a Swedish migrant very effectively. Joel Mc Crea features and was very popular in so many films of the time. The treatment of the growth of a family is presented with enthusiasm but also with a critique of the money-making capitalists of the 19th century and there is dialogue about the exploitation of the forests and the need for conservation. The film is an entertaining example of film-making in the 30s.

1. The novels of Edna Thurber, their popularity in being filmed? This film within that tradition? Its contribution to the Hollywood tradition of the pioneering American family saga? How enjoyable is this kind of story?

2. The film as an example of Americana? The appeal of the history of the United States, pioneering, the heritage, the growth of families and prosperity? Their troubles? How real, how much legend? The praise of the enterprise, the critique of the methods and the emotional clashes? The significance of the title in this regard?

3. The black and white photography, outdoor logging sequences, the indoor family sequences? The portrait of society over several decades? A 30s treatment of these themes? The work of two noted directors - how well did this blend?

4. The portrait of the 19th century, the pioneers in the mid-West? The hard work, the enterprise, the get-up-and-go? The importance of showing the loggers at work and the lengthy collage of the processes of felling the trees and transporting the logs? How did this create a credible atmosphere for the development of the family?

5. Barney as 19th century type - a big man, tough, relentless and ruthless, ambitious? The way that he was able to drive men, make deals? His infatuation with Lotta? His going against this in his arranged marriage? His success in achieving his ambitions - and the results in terms of friendship, loneliness, making a fool of himself when old? A credible portrait for popular appreciation of this kind of self-make tycoon?

6. The portrait of men in the mid-West; at work, friendship, at the bars and drinking, gambling, fights, throwing around money, relationship with the women in the saloons? Lotta and her presence in the saloon, her singing, her trying to get back the money from the boss, her response to Barney's friendship, the importance of the fight with the trays? (And the irony of Barney's success in winning so much money against the tricksters?)

7. The importance of money in developing America, the men who made it, throwing it around, gambling? Barney and buying Lotta’s wardrobe? The self-made man and the taking for granted of having money?

8. How well did the film move over the decades to 1907? How well did it establish life in the earlier generation and make the contrast with the turn of the century? The characters and their ageing? The presentation of the grown family? Power, the factories and plant, the conservation issues, family tensions? The revelation of Lotta's death?

9. What had happened to Barney in the intervening years? His character, size and energy, power, wealth? The status of his marriage - and seeing his wife only in her old age? His relationship with his children? His hostility towards Richard, his dealings with Evie? His being snappy in his work, the reaction of his secretary? The contrast with what he was like when he was younger? The contrast with him after he met Lotta's daughter? The potential for an affluent greatness and the possibility of earning it? His being old and lavish, his being foolish as regards Lotta, the possibility of divorce, his jealousy and dealing with his son, his manoeuvring his whole family, clashes and fights? His being hurt at the end - how well did he face the truth? The forgiveness of his wife?

10. The portrait of Barney's wife and our knowledge of her father, the arranged marriage, Barney's love for Lotta and his sacrificing her for his own ambitions? Her place in society, concern about her daughter's marriage? Her patience, knowing about Barney's infatuation, her revelation of this at the end and helping him to stay with her?

11. The importance of the character of Swan? waiter Brennan's interpretation and skill, communicating the Swedish background and manner - its humour and idiosyncrasies? His being a friend to Barney, sharing his experiences, supporting him, participating in the fight? The importance of his telling the truth to Lotta, his marrying her and loving her, the effect of her death on him? The audience seeing him in his old age? The renewed friendship with Barney? The tensions with his daughter? The visit to Chicago and its enjoyment, his return to work for Barney, his not having enough to do? His apprehensions about the situation? His being a good man?

12. The two Lottas? The portrait of the mother and her being in the saloon, singing, trying to get the money back from Barney, falling in love with him, her excitement at being appreciated, the bitterness of her disappointment, her gratitude to Swan for marrying her? The contrast with her daughter? The fact of the same actress portraying the two women? Her working in the cafe and her attention to Barney when he arrived, her ambitions and schooling, her not wanting to see what happened, her infatuation with the wealthy life and enjoyment of the train ride, Chicago? Her falling in love with Richard? Her telling Barney the truth?

13. The importance of Carrie - a place in the family, love for Swan, service of Barney, seeing the truth, confronting Lotta?

14. Richard and Evie and their place in their father's family, their being used to wealth, marriages, business? Evie and her strengths, talking with her father, breaking the engagement, her love for the man in the factory, her father accepting this and also her mother? Richard and his strengths but gentle manner, clashes with his father, love for Lotta, his speech-making, the dance, confrontation with his father?

15. The background of the American people in the film - of the pioneering 19th century, the men of the outback, the saloon people? The people in the cities, the towns, the factories? Josie and her confrontations of Barney?

16. The presentation of the strata of American society - at Iron Ridge, the train sequence and the women and the clothes they wore, Chicago and its wealth, the mills, the manager and owner and his receiving the guests at the dinner dance etc.?

17. The film's presentation of the growth of a family, the dynasty?

18. The morals and behaviour of America? The American moral heritage -especially the ethos of success and the building of society?

19. Themes of capitalism, wealth, politics (and the discussions about Teddy Roosevelt), conservation?

20. Though the film was made in the 30s, does it seem very dated? The perennial interest of the themes, the relevance of the issues?