Our Vines Have Tender Grapes
Encyclopedia
Our Vines Have Tender Grapes is an American drama film released in 1945, directed by Roy Rowland
and starring Edward G. Robinson
and Margaret O'Brien
.
farming community. The screenplay was written by Dalton Trumbo
, his last before being blacklisted
for refusing to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee
. Told from the viewpoint of little Selma (Margaret O’Brien), the film explores grand childhood adventures: making friends, a pet calf, Christmas, a terrifying trip down a flood-swollen river, a barn fire and a ride on a circus elephant’s trunk. Its title comes from Chapter 2, Verse 15 in the Song of Solomon
in the King James version of the Bible
, which reads, Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
), a farmer, his wife Bruna (Agnes Moorehead
) and their seven-year-old daughter Selma (Margaret O'Brien
) who is very close with her five-year-old cousin, Arnold (Jackie 'Butch' Jenkins
). Martinus simply wants to work his land and be a loving farmer to his family. The one great ambition in the life of Martinius Jacobson is to build a new barn, but tragedy strikes. How the family copes with that is the core and the charm of the film
Selma lives a carefree, joyous life, which is only temporarily clouded by the sudden death of Ingeborg Jensen (Dorothy Morris), an emotionally disturbed young woman whose stern father (Charles B. Middleton
) had refused to let her attend school despite the pleas of newly arrived schoolmarm Viola Johnson (Frances Gifford
).
Inspired by young Selma, the entire town of Fuller Junction come to the aid of Bjorn Bjornson (Morris Carnovsky
), who has lost his livestock when lightning struck a newly erected barn.
When Selma generously donates her pet calf to the impoverished farmer, the townspeople in general, and Martinius in particular, follow suit, prompting Viola to reconsider her harsh views of country life and retract her letter of resignation to the school board.
Roy Rowland (film director)
Roy Rowland was a film director. The New York-born director helmed a number of films in the 1950s and 60s including Our Vines Have Tender Grapes, Meet Me in Las Vegas, Rogue Cop, The 5000 Fingers of Doctor T and The Girl Hunters. Rowland married Ruth Cummings, the niece of Louis B...
and starring Edward G. Robinson
Edward G. Robinson
Edward G. Robinson was a Romanian-born American actor. A popular star during Hollywood's Golden Age, he is best remembered for his roles as gangsters, such as Rico in his star-making film Little Caesar and as Rocco in Key Largo...
and Margaret O'Brien
Margaret O'Brien
Margaret O'Brien is an American film and stage actress. Although her film career as a leading character was brief, she was one of the most popular child actors in cinema history...
.
Background
The movie is based on the novel by George Victor Martin, about the Norwegian-descended residents of a small WisconsinWisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
farming community. The screenplay was written by Dalton Trumbo
Dalton Trumbo
James Dalton Trumbo was an American screenwriter and novelist, and one of the Hollywood Ten, a group of film professionals who refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947 during the committee's investigation of Communist influences in the motion picture industry...
, his last before being blacklisted
Hollywood blacklist
The Hollywood blacklist—as the broader entertainment industry blacklist is generally known—was the mid-twentieth-century list of screenwriters, actors, directors, musicians, and other U.S. entertainment professionals who were denied employment in the field because of their political beliefs or...
for refusing to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee
House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities or House Un-American Activities Committee was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. In 1969, the House changed the committee's name to "House Committee on Internal Security"...
. Told from the viewpoint of little Selma (Margaret O’Brien), the film explores grand childhood adventures: making friends, a pet calf, Christmas, a terrifying trip down a flood-swollen river, a barn fire and a ride on a circus elephant’s trunk. Its title comes from Chapter 2, Verse 15 in the Song of Solomon
Song of songs
Song of Songs, also known as the Song of Solomon, is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. It may also refer to:In music:* Song of songs , the debut album by David and the Giants* A generic term for medleysPlays...
in the King James version of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, which reads, Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
Plot
The story is about a Norwegian immigrant in Wisconsin, Martinius Jacobson (Edward G. RobinsonEdward G. Robinson
Edward G. Robinson was a Romanian-born American actor. A popular star during Hollywood's Golden Age, he is best remembered for his roles as gangsters, such as Rico in his star-making film Little Caesar and as Rocco in Key Largo...
), a farmer, his wife Bruna (Agnes Moorehead
Agnes Moorehead
Agnes Robertson Moorehead was an American actress. Although she began with the Mercury Theatre, appeared in more than seventy films beginning with Citizen Kane and on dozens of television shows during a career that spanned more than thirty years, Moorehead is most widely known to modern audiences...
) and their seven-year-old daughter Selma (Margaret O'Brien
Margaret O'Brien
Margaret O'Brien is an American film and stage actress. Although her film career as a leading character was brief, she was one of the most popular child actors in cinema history...
) who is very close with her five-year-old cousin, Arnold (Jackie 'Butch' Jenkins
Jackie 'Butch' Jenkins
Jackie 'Butch' Jenkins was an American child actor, who had a brief film career during the 1940s.Born Jack Dudley Jenkins in Los Angeles, California, the son of actress Doris Dudley, Jenkins made his film debut at the age of six in The Human Comedy as Jack Jenkins after an MGM talent scout saw...
). Martinus simply wants to work his land and be a loving farmer to his family. The one great ambition in the life of Martinius Jacobson is to build a new barn, but tragedy strikes. How the family copes with that is the core and the charm of the film
Selma lives a carefree, joyous life, which is only temporarily clouded by the sudden death of Ingeborg Jensen (Dorothy Morris), an emotionally disturbed young woman whose stern father (Charles B. Middleton
Charles B. Middleton
Charles B. Middleton was an American stage and film actor. During a film career that began at age 46 and lasted almost 30 years, Charles Middleton appeared in nearly two hundred films as well as numerous plays...
) had refused to let her attend school despite the pleas of newly arrived schoolmarm Viola Johnson (Frances Gifford
Frances Gifford
Mary Frances Gifford was an American actress who played leads and supporting roles in many 1930s and 1940s movies.-Career:...
).
Inspired by young Selma, the entire town of Fuller Junction come to the aid of Bjorn Bjornson (Morris Carnovsky
Morris Carnovsky
Morris Carnovsky was an American stage and film actor born in St. Louis, Missouri. He worked briefly in the Yiddish theatre before attending Washington University in St. Louis...
), who has lost his livestock when lightning struck a newly erected barn.
When Selma generously donates her pet calf to the impoverished farmer, the townspeople in general, and Martinius in particular, follow suit, prompting Viola to reconsider her harsh views of country life and retract her letter of resignation to the school board.
Cast
- Edward G. RobinsonEdward G. RobinsonEdward G. Robinson was a Romanian-born American actor. A popular star during Hollywood's Golden Age, he is best remembered for his roles as gangsters, such as Rico in his star-making film Little Caesar and as Rocco in Key Largo...
as Martinius Jacobson - Margaret O'BrienMargaret O'BrienMargaret O'Brien is an American film and stage actress. Although her film career as a leading character was brief, she was one of the most popular child actors in cinema history...
as Selma Jacobson - James CraigJames Craig (actor)James Craig was an American actor.After graduating from the Rice Institute, Craig began appearing in films in 1937, most often in B-movies and serials...
as Nels 'Editor' Halverson - Frances GiffordFrances GiffordMary Frances Gifford was an American actress who played leads and supporting roles in many 1930s and 1940s movies.-Career:...
as Viola Johnson - Agnes MooreheadAgnes MooreheadAgnes Robertson Moorehead was an American actress. Although she began with the Mercury Theatre, appeared in more than seventy films beginning with Citizen Kane and on dozens of television shows during a career that spanned more than thirty years, Moorehead is most widely known to modern audiences...
as Bruna Jacobson - Morris CarnovskyMorris CarnovskyMorris Carnovsky was an American stage and film actor born in St. Louis, Missouri. He worked briefly in the Yiddish theatre before attending Washington University in St. Louis...
as Bjorn Bjornson - Jackie 'Butch' JenkinsJackie 'Butch' JenkinsJackie 'Butch' Jenkins was an American child actor, who had a brief film career during the 1940s.Born Jack Dudley Jenkins in Los Angeles, California, the son of actress Doris Dudley, Jenkins made his film debut at the age of six in The Human Comedy as Jack Jenkins after an MGM talent scout saw...
as Arnold Hanson - Sara HadenSara HadenSara Haden was a character actress in Hollywood films of the 1930s through the 1950s.She was born Sarah Haden on November 17, 1899 in Galveston, Texas. Haden was the daughter of another character actress, Charlotte Walker, who was active in silent films and early talkies...
as Mrs. Bjorn Bjornson - Greta GranstedtGreta GranstedtGreta Granstedt was a Swedish- American Movie and Television Actress.-Background:Irene "Greta" Granstedt was the second child of Theodore and Emma Granstedt born in Scandia, Kansas....
as Mrs. Lars Faraassen - Dorothy MorrisDorothy MorrisDorothy Morris is a former American film and television actress known for her "girl next door" persona.- Early life and career:...
as Ingeborg Jensen - Arthur SpaceArthur SpaceCharles Arthur Space was an American film, television and stage actor. He was best known as Doc Weaver in the long running television series, Lassie.-Career:...
as Pete Hanson, Arnold's Dad - Elizabeth Russell as Mrs. Kola Hanson
- Louis Jean HeydtLouis Jean HeydtLouis Jean Heydt [April 17, 1905 - January 29, 1960] was an American Film, TV, and Theatre character actor from Montclair, New Jersey.-Early life:Heydt was born in Montclair New Jersey and Educated at Worcester Academy and Dartmouth College...
as Lars Faraassen - Charles B. MiddletonCharles B. MiddletonCharles B. Middleton was an American stage and film actor. During a film career that began at age 46 and lasted almost 30 years, Charles Middleton appeared in nearly two hundred films as well as numerous plays...
as Kurt Jensen, Ingeborg's Dad - Francis PierlotFrancis PierlotFrancis Pierlot was a stage and film actor with over 90 film credits.His first film credit was in 1914, but he didn't begin appearing in films full time until 1940 at the age of 63...
as Fuller Junction's Minister