ALL MINE TO GIVE (THE DAY THEY GAVE BABIES AWAY)

US, 1956, 102 minutes, Colour.
Glynis Johns, Cameron Mitchell, Patty Mc Cormack, Rex Thompson, Ernest Truex, Hope Emerson, Alan Hale.
Directed by Allen Reisner.

The Day They Cave Babies Away is a western, not with an action setting, but a focus on the settlers in Wisconsin in the mid?19th. century. The focus is on two emigrants, their attempting to find work, the birth of their children, hardships, the death of the father, the struggle of the mother to survive, her final illness and her decision to place her children with families before she died.

The film has a great deal of sentiment, but is a moving human drama. It is reminiscent of the Ann Margret vehicle Who Will Love My Children, the story of a mother dying of cancer who also places her children with families.

The film has the atmosphere of the West, has a performance by Glynis Johns as the mother, has a Max Steiner score. An alternative title of the film was All Mine to Give.

1. The impact of this western? Entertainment? A moving film?

2. Wide screen colour locations, the atmosphere of the town, the 19th century, the seasons and their hardships, the life of the family? The contribution of the score?

3. The title and its puzzle? The reality for this family to survive?

4. The focus on Robert and Mamie and their migrating to the West? Wisconsin in the 1850s? Their hopes of living with Mamie's uncle? The news of his death? Their struggle to survive? The help of the neighbours? The building of the cabin? The winter? The birth of their son? The need for work, Robert working in the lumber camp. away from his family? The birth of the succeeding children? Mamie coping? Robert becoming a boat builder? Robert's illness? The sadness of his death? Mamie and her work, dressmaking? Her illness? Her decision to place the children? Her not wanting them to go to the orphanage? The eldest son Robbie, visiting the families, pleading their cause, taking the children? Mamie's death?

5. The portrait of the children, especially Robbie as being the eldest and his managing, his relationship with the children, their home life, the detail of domestic life? Robbie and his visiting families, pleading with them, the children going with him? Their being placed in homes?

6. The portrait of the people in the town and their sympathy, helping, difficulties: Dr. Delbert, Mrs. Pugmeister, Tom Cullen, Lola Delbert, Howard Tyler. How well depicted was this gallery of characters?

7. A moving film? Audience response to the difficulties of the parents? The plight of the children? The ability of the townspeople to help?