Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! *** (1948, June Haver, Lon McCallister, Walter Brennan, Natalie Wood, Anne Revere, Tom Tully, Marilyn Monroe) – Classic Movie Review 7603

The 1948 Technicolor romantic comedy drama Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!, written and directed by F Hugh Herbert, stars June Haver, Lon McCallister and Walter Brennan, but it is known, if at all, for Marilyn Monroe’s earliest speaking role, a one-line bit part, following her debut in Dangerous Years (1947). Ironically, the woman with one line is still world famous and the star June Haver is more or less forgotten. A young Natalie Wood also appears, but to more advantage than Monroe, as Eufraznee ‘Bean’ McGill.

The screenplay is adapted by director F Hugh Herbert from George Agnew Chamberlain’s novel, which tells of the entertaining adventures of Snug Dominy (Lon McCallister), a young man turned mule-trainer, and his petulant protegés.

Tom Tully plays ‘Roarer’ McGill, the farmer Snug works for, Walter Brennan plays the old mule-trainer who teaches Snug the ropes and June Haver plays Rad McGill, the farmer’s daughter who takes Snug’s side in an argument with her dad over the ownership of the mules.

A fun-filled cast manages to imbue drama, laughs and pathos into what appears to be a ludicrously uninteresting premise, making for a surprisingly enjoyable movie. The title refers to the glorious sounds of mule-training.

It is one of Marilyn Monroe’s earliest appearances as Betty (uncredited), although most of her part landed up on the cutting-room floor.

She is visible dressed in a pinafore and walking down the steps of a church, saying, ‘Hi Rad’ to June Haver’s character, who responds ‘Hi, Betty’ as everyone is coming out of church on Sunday morning. She also appears far in the background of the boating sequence, paddling a canoe with another woman.

Also in the cast are Anne Revere, Robert Karnes, Henry Hull, Guy Beach, Ken Christy, G Pat Collins, Edward Gargan, Herbert Heywood, Eugene Jackson, Les MacGregor, Matt McHugh, Tom Moore, Colleen Townsend, Charles Wagenheim, Geraldine Wall and Charles Woolf.

The movie is showing at the cinema next to the Piggly Wiggly grocery store in Driving Miss Daisy (1989).

Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! is also known as Summer Lightning.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7603

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com