Cabin in the Cotton

1932

Cabin in the Cotton

Critics Consensus

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Tomatometer
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TOMATOMETER

Total Count: N/A

66%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 323

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Cabin in the Cotton Photos

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Movie Info

Henry Harrison Kroll's novel Cabin in the Cotton was an attack on wealthy southern landowners who exploited their sharecroppers. While the landowners still don't come off too well in Warner Bros.' film version of Kroll's novel, the film tries to avoid stepping on powerful toes, even composing an opening-title disclaimer pointing out that both sides of the issue had arguments in their favor. Richard Barthelmess, 23 going on 45, plays a sharecropper's son who wants to improve his lot with a college education. Land baron Berton Churchill advises Barthelmess' father to get those "silly ideas" out of our hero's head, lest he forget his place. Bette Davis plays Churchill's seductive daughter, whose influence with daddy enables Barthelmess to rise to the position of Churchill's bookkeeper. When Barthelmess discovers that Churchill is cooking the books, Churchill counters that Barthelmess wouldn't have any chance to advance himself without the largess of the landowners. He even tries to get Barthelmess to inform on those field workers who plan to organize a union. A potentially bloody confrontation between the workers and management is quelled by Barthelmess, who manages to wangle compromises from both sides. The only thing Barthelmess loses is Davis, but he is compensated by the affections of longtime sweetheart Dorothy Jordan. Nobody really remembers the plot complications in Cabin in the Cotton; to most viewers, the film is memorable only for Bette Davis' classic line "Ah'd love to kiss ya, but ah jest washed ma hair."

Rating:

NR
Genre:

Drama
Directed By:

Michael Curtiz
Written By:

Paul Green
In Theaters:

Oct 15, 1932 limited
On Disc/Streaming:

Oct 28, 1992
Runtime:

77 minutes
Studio:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Cast

Richard Barthelmess
as Marvin Blake

Bette Davis
as Madge Norwood

Henry B. Walthall
as Eph Clinton

Dorothy Jordan
as Betty Wright

Berton Churchill
as Lane Norwood

Walter Percival
as Cleve Clinton

William LeMaire
as Jake Fisher

Hardie Albright
as Roland Neal

Tully Marshall
as Old Slick Harness

Clarence Muse
as Old Blind Negro

Edmund Breese
as Holmes Scott

Dorothy Peterson
as Lilly Blake

Trevor Bardette

J. Carroll Naish

Dennis O'Keefe

David Landau
as Tom Blake

Russell Simpson
as Uncle Joe

John Marston
as Russell Carter

Erville Alderson
as Sock Fisher

Harry Cording
as Ross Clinton

Virginia Hammond
as Mrs. Norwood

Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
as Ezzy Daniels

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Critic Reviews for Cabin in the Cotton

There are no critic reviews yet for Cabin in the Cotton. Keep checking Rotten Tomatoes for updates!

Audience Reviews for Cabin in the Cotton

Jan 27, 2009

"I'd like to kiss you, but I just washed my hair." I have no idea what she meant, but that Bette Davis has style.

Valerie G Super Reviewer
Apr 06, 2008

Dated but worth at least one view for Bette's own personal movie line.

jay n Super Reviewer