The Happy Land (1943)
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An Iowa drugstore owner (Don Ameche) becomes embittered when his son is killed in World War II. The druggist believes that the boy's life was cut short before he had an opportunity to truly appreciate his existence. The grieving father is shown the error of his assumption by the ghost of his grandfather (Harry Carey), who through flashbacks details the good things about the son's short term on Earth, and the wonderful life that the druggist himself has enjoyed. Frances Dee plays Don Ameche's wife, while Ann Rutherford portrays his son's girl (who in turn is played in a flashback sequence by former Little Rascal Darla Hood). Happy Land was suitable wartime propaganda, though it doesn't play quite as movingly today. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Complete Cast:
- Don Ameche - Lew Marsh
- Harry Carey - Gramp
- Richard Crane - Rusty
- Henry Morgan - Tony Cavrek
- Dickie Moore - Peter Orcutt
- Adeline Reynolds - Mrs. Schneider
- James West - Rusty, Age 12-16
- Bernard B. Thomas - Sam Kendall
- Mary Wickes - Emmy
- Tom Stevenson - Mr. MacMurray
- Matt Moore - Mr. Prentiss
- Richard Abbott - Rev. Wood
- Ferris Taylor - Mayor
- Paul Weigel - Pop Schmidt
- Juanita Quigley - Sally Pierce
- John Dilson - Charles Clayton
- Robert Dudley - Old Man Bowers
- Houseley Stevenson, Sr. - Sam Watson
- Frances Dee - Agnes Marsh
- Ann Rutherford - Lenore Prentiss
- Cara Williams - Gretchen Barry
- Minor Watson - Judge Colvin
- Oscar O'Shea - Father Case
- Roseanne Murray - Velma
- Larry Olsen - Rusty, Age 5
- Eddie Mills - Bud
- Walter S. Baldwin - Jake Hibbs
- Aileen Pringle - Mrs. Prentiss
- Darla Hood - Lenore Prentiss, Age 12
- Lillian Bronson - Mattie Dyer
- Larry Thompson - Andy
- Elvin Field - Joe
- Milt Kibbee - Shep Wayne
- Leigh Whipper - Old Ben
- Joe Bernard - Clerk
- Natalie Wood - Bit Part
- Director(s):
- Irving Pichel
- Writer(s):
- Julien Josephson, Kathryn Scola
- Producer(s):
- Kenneth MacGowan
- Closed Captioning:
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- Subtitles:
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- 1943 - National Board of Review - Best Acting
