Tap Roots (1948)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

George Marshall

Writers:

Alan Le May (writer)
James H. Street (novel)

Release Date:

25 August 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

When she lost her lover...her sister gained one!

Plot:

Morna Dabney is engaged to soldier Clay MacIvor in the days before the War Between the States. Morna's...

Plot Keywords:

Civil War | Confederacy | Beautiful Woman | Based On Novel

Cast

Van Heflin	...	Keith Alexander
Susan Hayward	...	Morna Dabney
Boris Karloff	...	Tishomingo
Julie London	...	Aven Dabney
Whitfield Connor	...	Clay McIvor
Ward Bond	...	Hoab Dabney
Richard Long	...	Bruce Dabney
Arthur Shields	...	Reverend Kirkland
Griff Barnett	...	Dr. McIntosh
Sondra Rodgers	...	Shellie Dabney
Ruby Dandridge	...	Dabby
Russell Simpson	...	Big Sam Dabney

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park - 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, USA

Company:

Walter Wanger Productions

Trivia:

Lux Radio Theatre version aired 27 September 1948, starring Van Heflin, Susan Hayward, and Richard Long in their original roles.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Mountains shown in the background of a few scenes. There are no mountains of that size anywhere in Mississippi.

BORIS KARLOFF IS A GREAT INDIAN !

I was able to tape this film years ago. It is not often seen on TV and a true classic film. Tap Roots takes place at the outbreak of the Civil War, Lebanon Valley tries to secede from the state of Mississippi and remain neutral. Hating slavery, its leader, Hoab Dabney(Ward Bond), and a faithful Indian friend of the family, Tishomingo(Boris Karloff), promise to protect the valley against the Confederate army. There is a great cast of actors namely: Susan Hayward, Van Heflin and Julie London(former wife of Jack Webb, Dragnet T.V) Tap Roots is rather long and drawn out. However, the plot has romance, excellent photography of the Civil War costumes, sex situations and the action is of great value. Karloff is excellent as an Indian guide of the family and his make-up makes him look just like a Native American. I noticed the Smoky Mountains located in North Carolina and Tennessee where this Mississippi story was filmed which is magnificent to view.