Ramona

While Loretta Young and Don Ameche get top billing, there is no question that the real star of "Ramona" is the "new perfected technicolor" as the film's poster declared in 1936. The film was the 4th to be shot in the "perfected" 3-strip color process.

"Ramona" does looks beautiful. Its the slow-moving plot that really does the film in. I've seen travelogues from the period that have more to hold a viewer's attention. Basically, the story revolves around a taboo romance between Young (a beautiful Spanish girl) and Ameche (the friendly Indian). The most interesting aspect of the plot is the fact that the white settlers are portrayed as the villains, grabbing the land and possessions of the peaceful Indians...an unusually politically correct position for a mid 1930's movie.

If you're a fan of Loretta Young, Don Ameche, or beautiful technicolor, "Ramona" is worth a look...at least once. Repeat viewings could be painful.

I have read the novel "Ramona" a few times, and it seems something was lost when the book was translated into film. First of all, the story takes place in the Spanish colonial days of California, and this is why the Native Americans are speaking with Spanish accents. The "gringo" white people (Americans) are seen as the villains because they mostly are Protestant and are moving into a predominantly Catholic area and are claiming land that had been granted to Spanish settlers by the King of Spain. There was this same ill feeling about gringos or "white settlers" when Texas was in the process of separating from Mexico and becoming part of the United States.

As for Ramona's being a half-breed, the novel explains she is the child of the Spanish rancher and his Native American girl friend. The rancher brings her, as an infant, to the hacienda, and the rancher's wife agrees to bring up her husband's illegitimate daughter as if the child were her own or at least her social equal.

I am not sure of Loretta Young's heritage, but I believe she was a devout Catholic and perhaps was of Latin descent. It so happens her sister Georgiana was married to Ricardo Montalban, so Miss Young was associated with Latin Americans in her private life. Mr. Ameche was an Italian-American and no doubt Catholic, so he fit into this story of Spanish-colonial California very well.

I hope this explanation has helped some reviewers better understand the background of "Ramona." One of my favorite scenes is the priest coming to bless the flock of sheep and crops each spring. It is reminiscent of the same blessing in "The Thorn Birds" and the annual "Blessing of the Fleet" in the Gulf Coast area of the United States.

Ramona (1936)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

A young half Indian woman (Loretta Young) marries an Indian (Don Ameche) but their lives take a turn for the worse when white folks run them off their land. This is an extremely depressing and somewhat shocking film that actually shows the Indians as the good people and the white's as savages, which wasn't common back in the day. The two stars do their usual great work but the direction is all over the place. The Indians aren't well written considering most are talking with Spanish accents. John Carradine has a small role. From what I gathered, this was the forth feature to use 3-strip Technicolor.

Spanish Loretta Young (!) was raised by a wealthy family. The family's son loves Loretta but she loves Indian Don Ameche (oh boy). Then she finds out that she's also half-Indian, which makes her happy as she can marry Ameche. It's one of those movies, folks. When Ameche rides into view and you realize he's gone full Tonto for this picture, you basically have two choices: turn it off or soldier on, knowing full well this is going to be a little hard to swallow.

The early Technicolor is nice and makes the beautiful scenery pop. Young is lovely, even with the jet black hair that doesn't suit her. Speaking of lovely, Katherine DeMille appears in this and her beauty is also enhanced by the color. Good support from Jane Darwell, J. Carrol Naish, and Pauline Frederick. John Carradine has a small part. It's a well-intentioned bit of hokum. Amusing at times but depressing if you take it seriously.

I was surprised to find that the song Ramona made so famous as the theme in the 1927 silent that gave Dolores Del Rio her most notable part in silent films was not included. It was such a very big hit, but I suppose there were copyright problems. In any event Alfred Newman's score for this version of Ramona is one of many things to recommend it.

Another is the stunning color cinematography, this version of Ramona is the first western to be in technicolor. And apparently the color has held up well or the film had a good restoration. The cast is led by Loretta Young in the title role and Don Ameche in his breakout role as Alessandro the Indian who falls for Ramona and she him.

Young who is a mixed race girl who has been raised at Pauline Frederick's hacienda in California of the 1870s has finds out about herself and confesses love for Ameche who is a top hand around the place. That earns her and Ameche banishment, but they go and start a farm of their own. But it's only the beginning of their troubles from newly arriving American settlers. Indians were specifically exempted from the Homestead Act and I'll say no more.

Standing out in the supporting cast is Jane Darwell who is doing her part as the kindly pioneer woman who takes in Ameche and Young as a dress rehearsal for Ma Joad. She has her standards, but since Ameche and Young are Christians they're welcome in her house. In fact the three of them are the most 'Christian' characters in the film.

One part that makes no sense to me is Kent Taylor as Frederick's son and soon to be patron of the hacienda. He's rather insipid and poorly defined as a character.

Henry King is a director who should be given more study. Because he was studio contract director as opposed to an independent like Ford or Hitchcock he's given short shrift. Look down the list of his credits and you'll see some great classics. Other than Taylor and not his or Taylor's fault since the character is poorly defined he got great performances from his cast.

Interracial love was one daring topic for 1936 or 1927 or even in silent versions before that. Ramona is a fine film of social significance and a great tragic romantic love story.