Movie review for the day

With Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara in it, how bad could Spencer's Mountain be? Well, it wasn't the finest work by either of them...

Clay Spencer (played by Henry Fonda, photo above) is a hard-working man who loves his wife and large family. Respected by his neighbors, he is always ready to give them a helping hand. Although not a churchgoer, he even helps a newly-arrived local minister (played by Wally Cox) regain his flock after he and Clay get into a bit of trouble. If he has one dream in life, it's to build his wife a beautiful house on a piece of land he inherited on Spencer's Mountain.

Clay, his wife Olivia, and their nine children are the third and fourth generations of Spencers who've lived on Spencer's Mountain in the Snake River Valley, nestled within the Grand Tetons (photo) of Wyoming. Like generations before them, they are uneducated and poor but hard working. Despite abhorring religion, Clay has allowed his wife (played by Maureen O'Hara) to raise the children as Christians. Clay has long promised Livie a large dream house on the mountain to replace their small house, where they live with Clay's parents. He hopes to build it with the help of his many brothers, for who he has done many favors over the years. Their dreams take a change of focus when their oldest, Clay Jr. (whom everyone calls Clayboy) is the first Spencer to ever graduate from high school, not only with honors, but at the top of his class, and has the opportunity to go to college. Clayboy wants to continue his education, which he hopes will lead his siblings into a better life than having to work in the quarry like their father. Money becomes the issue. Not only Clay and Olivia, but Clayboy's teacher Miss Parker and the newly-arrived Preacher Goodman  do whatever they can to help Clayboy achieve this goal. Clayboy's own resolve in this matter is tested by the progressive minded Claris Coleman, who wants to be Mrs. Clay Spencer Jr. sooner than later.

 Rico says it's a feel-good movie, selected by the ladyfriend, but (even given Rico's 'abhorrance of religion') tolerable, given the stars. (Though James MacArthur as Clayboy went on to bigger, if no better acted, things later, in Hawaii Five-O.)