What It's About:

In a small New England town one lazy summer in the early 1900s, idealistic high school valedictorian Richard Miller (Linden) romances Muriel McComber (Parker). Richard looks forward to going to Yale, aspiring to become a man of ideas and experience. But when Muriel’s father (Grapewin) discovers the young man has sent his daughter “racy” love poems, he forces Muriel to break up with the lad. Crushed, Richard sets off on a bender with a chorus girl, which puts him at odds with his parents (Barrymore and Byington). Meanwhile Richard’s ne’er-do-well Uncle Sid (Beery) confronts his own challenges with alcohol as he tries to convince spinster Lily (MacMahon), his on-again, off-again girlfriend, that they should marry.

Why I Love It:

This warmly nostalgic portrait of family life in a small town America long past was based on Eugene O’Neill’s play, the famed writer’s only comedy. While the central plot focuses on young Richard’s coming of age, “Wilderness” offers up an ensemble of colorful characters who provide as many touching moments as comic ones. The cast is simply terrific, with veterans Beery, Barrymore, and Byington giving standout performances, and a cherubic Rooney adding devilish mischief as a bratty pre-teen. Classic movie fans are invited to pass a lovely afternoon in a “wilderness” that seems genteel by today’s standards, but is still well worth visiting.