Alan Ladd and Olivia de Havilland shine in “The Proud Rebel”

The Proud Rebel (1958) is an American western directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Alan Ladd and Olivia de Havilland. Others in the case include Dean Jagger, Cecil Kellaway, Harry Dean Stanton (billed as Dean Stanton), and David Ladd.

John Chandler (Alan Ladd), a former Confederate soldier travels to Illinois in the hope that a doctor there can cure his mute son (David Ladd). Although he’s left his military service behind him, some of the Illinois townsfolk hold it against him. A couple of toughs set him up for arrest which puts him in contact with Linnett a woman farmer (de Havilland) who is up against the Burleighs who want her land.

Linnett helps Chandler get out of jail under the condition that he help her on her farm. With Chandler’s help, Linnett’s farm is more appealing to the bullying Burleighs.

Will Chandler help Linnett keep her farm and will David get his speech back?

Olivia de Havilland, David Ladd, and Alan Ladd

Michael Curtiz (1886 -1962) was a Hungarian-American film director who worked during Hollywood’s Golden age, directing some of the best loved classics from that era including The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) Casablanca (1942), and Mildred Pierce (1945). He directed James Cagney and Joan Crawford to Best Actor/Actress Oscar wins; he put Doris Day and John Garfield on the screen for the first time, making them major movie stars in the process. He’s also responsible for the pairing of Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, one of Hollywood’s most famous screen teams. Other films directed by Curtiz include Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), The Sea Wolf (1941), Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), Life with Father (1947), and White Christmas (1954).

Alan Ladd (1913 – 1964) was an American actor and film producer. Before Ladd made in big in movies, he had a successful career on the radio. After numerous bit parts at just about every Hollywood studio, Paramount signed him to a long-term contract and crafted roles that propelled him to superstardom. Ladd established himself in films noir like This Gun for Hire (1942), The Glass Key (1942), and The Blue Dahlia (1946). Other important films include Two Years Before the Mast (1946) and The Great Gatsby (1949). Ladd also established himself in the western genre starring in Whispering Smith (1948) and one of the most famous westerns of all time, George Stevens’s Shane (1953). George Stevens offered the role of Jett Rink in Giant (1956) but Ladd turned it down because it wasn’t the lead. Ladd’s last film was in a supporting role in The Carpetbaggers (1964).

Olivia de Havilland (1916 – 2020) was a British-American actress and two-time Best Actress Academy Award winner. De Havilland’s career spanned more than five decades. She was one of the leading actresses of the 1940s and was the last major surviving star from Hollywood’s Golden Age. Some of de Havilland’s classic films include The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Gone with the Wind (1939), Hold Back the Dawn (1941), To Each His Own (1946), The Snake Pit (1948), and The Heiress (1949).

The Proud Rebel trivia

• Alan Ladd, according to Olivia de Havilland, was leery of the reputation of Michael Curtiz to be tough on actors.
• Olivia de Havilland was basically retired and living Paris, France, when director Curtiz talked her into taking the role of Linnett.
• Adolphe Menjou was originally cast in the film but had to withdraw due to an injury to his leg.
• Production was halted when Curtiz had an emergency appendectomy.
• David Ladd received introducing credit even though he had appeared with his father in The Big Land (1957).
• The Ladd and de Havilland families became lifelong friends because of this film.

 

Click HERE to watch the movie on YouTube.

 

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Discussion questions

1. This was an unusual film for Alan Ladd. What did you think of his performance?
2. What did you think of Olivia de Havilland’s independent woman? Was her characterization believable?
3. Young David Ladd played the mute boy. Was his performance successful? Was he believable as the son of Alan Ladd’s character?
4. The film is filled with great character actors; do you have a favorite?
5. What was the film’s theme?