A veteran lineman takes an awe-struck young farmer under his wing, but problems arise when he introduces him to his occasional girlfriend, a pretty nurse.A veteran lineman takes an awe-struck young farmer under his wing, but problems arise when he introduces him to his occasional girlfriend, a pretty nurse.A veteran lineman takes an awe-struck young farmer under his wing, but problems arise when he introduces him to his occasional girlfriend, a pretty nurse.
- Wilcox
- (as Joseph Sawyer)
- Lafe Garrettson
- (as Harlan Tucker)
- Joe Braithewaite
- (as James Robbins)
- Ed
- (as Dick Wessell)
- Kelly
- (as Ben Hendricks)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAt one point, Slim tells Red he has $200. That would equal $3,671 in 2020.
- GoofsWhen O'Brien and Fonda are driving through the desert, Fonda's wearing a brown hat. but the longer shots of his double shows a white hat.
- Quotes
Steve: [Giving Slim a job application] Okay, fill in your name, address, age, experience, and who do we notify if you break the law?
Slim Kincaid: Break what law?
Steve: The law of gravity. Who do we notify if you fall off a tower?
Slim Kincaid: Notify the guy that's underneath me to get outta the way.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Fonda on Fonda (1992)
- SoundtracksMother Said to Mabel
(uncredited)
Traditional
Sung a cappella by Stuart Erwin often, with varying lyrics
Played when Slim gets a postcard from Stumpy
If Pat O'Brien wasn't working with James Cagney, he'd be making this kind of film with Dick Powell or John Payne. None of those quite have the rural demeanor for the title role, so Warner Brothers got Henry Fonda who was then under contract to producer Walter Wanger.
Fonda is in the title role of Slim, a country kid who sees the linemen bringing power to the nation and figures he can travel, see places and do things, in a necessary occupation. It's also why a lot of kids from rural areas enlist in the armed services. Pat O'Brien takes a liking to him, takes him under his wing so to speak and even accepts when his girl Margaret Lindsay prefers Fonda to him. For O'Brien he realizes he's far from ready to settle down.
I've always felt that O'Brien together with James Cagney were the real founders of the male buddy film. Given the nature of the role, Fonda more than fills Cagney's shoes. Jimmy Cagney would never be believable as a kid off the farm.
Look for J. Farrell McDonald to give a nice performance as the foreman of the crew Fonda and O'Brien work for. And Stu Erwin gives a nice performance, imitating Bob 'Bazooka' Burns who was at the height of his popularity as a regular on Bing Crosby's Kraft Music Hall. Erwin gives out with the same homespun rural humor that Burns was so popular for.
With the nation mostly electrified and the Rural Electrification Agency now the Rural Maintenance Agency as of 1994, the film is somewhat dated. But it is still a good piece of entertainment and a tribute to the men who literally electrified a country.
- bkoganbing
- Aug 23, 2008
- Permalink
Details
- Runtime1 hour 25 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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