Trail of the Lonesome Pine was recognized at the 1936 Venice Film Festival for a 'Special Recommendation' for the use of color film. It inspired a 1941 cowboy film of the same name and has been recorded by numerous country, pop, rock and soul singers. The other song, 'Twilight on the Trail', became a popular hit and eventually something of a classic. 'A Melody from the Sky' was nominated for the 1937 Academy Award in the category of 'Best Music, Original Song'. Mitchell and sung by Fuzzy Knight, gained national prominence. Two original songs from the film, both written by composer Louis Alter and lyricist Sidney D. While criticizing the use of Technicolor here as 'just bad bright picture-postcard stuff', Greene praised the story as 'quite a good one' and singled out Sylvia Sidney for her charming performance. Writing for The Spectator in 1936, Graham Greene gave the film a neutral review. 'Paramount's new film is far from perfect, either as a photoplay or as an instrument for the use of the new three-component Technicolor process', although 'a cast of unusual merit and a richly beautiful color production' were its redeeming qualities. The Trail of the Lonesome Pine received positive critical acclaim, with Frank Nugent of The New York Times considering the film significant yet not without flaws. It means that we can doubt no longer the inevitability of the color film or scoff at those who believe that black-and-white photography is tottering on the brink of that limbo of forgotten things which already has swallowed the silent picture.' Reception It means that color need not shackle the cinema, but may give it fuller expression. 'The significance of this achievement is not to be minimized. Ĭonsidered a technological success, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine was not the first film to utilize the new color process but integrated its use successfully, and was a harbinger of future developments. Director Henry Hathaway found it when shooting Woman Obsessed there in 1959. In an interview with James Bawden in 1976, Fonda remembered carving “HF LUVS SS” on a tree during the production of this film. The film was the first feature-length film to be shot in three-strip Technicolor on location. With principal on-location photography beginning in mid-October 1935 in Chatsworth, at Big Bear Lake (in the San Bernardino Mountains), and at the Santa Susana Pass in California, recreating the rural and mountain locale of the novel. Margaret Armstrong as Tolliver family member.George 'Spanky' McFarland as Buddie Tolliver.Hale is befriended by all, and will happily marry June. The families agree that the feud has gone too far. Dave, however, is shot in the back by Wade Falin. Family patriarch Buck Falin extends his apologies about her brother. A funeral is held and June returns, newly sophisticated from being in the big city. The latest round of violence causes June not to want to return home, so Hale sends her to Louisville to live with his sister.Ī bridge is destroyed by the Falins, causing the accidental death of Buddie. Upset over the budding romance, Dave sets out after Hale with a rifle but is ambushed by the Falins. But others from both families do not give this outsider their trust.

Her younger brother Buddie is also impressed with Hale, who begins to educate him and take the boy under his wing.

After an engineer, Jack Hale, arrives with coal and railroad interests, he saves the life of Dave Tolliver, whose injury has developed gangrene.ĭave expects to marry a cousin, June, but she takes an immediate shine to the newcomer. Deep in the region of the Eastern Kentucky Coalfield, a feud between the Kentucky clans of the Tollivers and the Falins has been ongoing for as long as anyone can recall.

Song on the trail of the lonesome pine