The Sun Shines Bright (John Ford, 1953)
Ford revisits the townsfolk of
Judge Priest 20 years later. Things happen. I suppose it's kind of the same exact movie except this time it's much more pessimistic about the entire thing. It's too bad Will Rogers died back in '35 cuz he's amazing, but Winninger eventually won me over (probably around the time he finds himself in front of the jailhouse). Anyway, yeah, it's a whole lot sadder. In
Judge Priest, the judge was much more laidback about the election, but in here the danger of losing is palpable. He goes out and campaigns and shakes hands and all that stuff. But, soon enough, things happen that are beyond his control and he's basically in an impossible situation that will pretty much guarantee his loss in the election. Anyway, that's not really the point. It never is. It's all about these small town events: the attempted lynching, "dixie," the dance, the funeral, the election, that reveal the true heart of the community. The funeral procession is probably the best thing I've seen so far in a Ford film. It's almost completely wordless and it's so goddamn beautiful. And, by the end, damn if I don't love this small town.