Review of The Southerner (1945) by John A — 14 Nov 2011

A strong, naturalistic portrait of a group of people not often given their due in the golden age of Hollywood, The Southerner follows a poor farming family through a year of trials, perseverance, and undying hope.

Renoir presents the main characters without irony and with a focus on the land which both sustains them as well as frustrates their efforts. The story itself is simple and episodic, but Renoir is seeking to capture a time, place, and people, which he does quite well.