Film Snail

6.8

Our Daily Bread

NR·1934·80m

Drama

Romance

Drama

Romance

Summary

John and Mary Sims are city-dwellers hit hard by the financial fist of The Depression. Driven by bravery (and sheer desperation) they flee to the country and, with the help of other workers, set up a farming community - a socialist mini-society based upon the teachings of Edward Gallafent. The newborn community suffers many hardships - drought, vicious raccoons and the long arm of the law - but ultimately pull together to reach a bread-based Utopia.

Cast

Karen Morley

Mary Sims

Tom Keene

John Sims

Barbara Pepper

Sally

Addison Richards

Louie

John Qualen

Chris (as John T. Qualen)

Lloyd Ingraham

Uncle Anthony

Sidney Bracey

Rent Collector

Henry Hall

Frank - the Carpenter

Nellie V. Nichols

Mrs. Cohen (as Nellie Nichols)

Frank Minor

Plumber

Bud Rae

Stonemason

Harry Brown

Little Man

C.E. Anderson

Schultz - the Butcher (uncredited)

Earl Askam

Farmer (uncredited)

Lionel Backus

Barber (uncredited)

Eddie Baker

Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)

Jack Baldwin

Motorcyclist (uncredited)

Marion Ballou

Old Lady (uncredited)

Harry Bernard

Chief (uncredited)

Harold Berquist

Father (uncredited)

Bonita

Mother (uncredited)

Harry C. Bradley

Professor (uncredited)

Lynton Brent

Bully (uncredited)

Tommy Bupp

Boy (uncredited)

Henry Burroughs

Politician (uncredited)

Cy Clegg

Lawyer (uncredited)

Billy Engle

Abie Cohen (uncredited)

Florence Enright

Gossiping Woman #2 (uncredited)

Alma Ferns

Mrs. Hilda Larsen (uncredited)

Clarence Geldart

Community Member (uncredited)

Harris Gordon

Cigar Salesman (uncredited)

Mary Gordon

Community Woman in Cottage (uncredited)

Harrison Greene

Sheriff (uncredited)

Frank Hammond

Undertaker (uncredited)

Jack Hyam

Violinist (uncredited)

Doris Kemper

Gossiping Woman #1 (uncredited)

Billy Kidston

Boy (uncredited)

Maybelle Lee

Little Girl (uncredited)

Sidney Miller

Cohen's Son (uncredited)

Gene O'Brien

Boy (uncredited)

Edward Peil Sr.

Powerhouse Employee (uncredited)

Hal Price

Threatened Bidder at Auction (uncredited)

Bob Reeves

George Hannibal (uncredited)

Alex Schumberg

Violinist (uncredited)

Harry Semels

Italian Shoemaker (uncredited)

Ray Spiker

Ex-Convict (uncredited)

Billy Tucker

Boy (uncredited)

Robert Tucker

Boy (uncredited)

King Vidor

Farmer Yelling 'Let It Go!' (uncredited)

Crew

Director, Story, Writer

King Vidor

Dialogue

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Scenario Writer

Elizabeth Hill

Reviews

Geronimo1967

June 13, 2022

Despite having a pretty lacklustre cast, this is still quite a watchable story of grit and determination set during the American depression. John Qualen ("Chris") - more frequently seen in the more eccentric supporting roles of John Wayne movies - stops by the farm of Tom Keene ("Tom") and "Mary" (Karen Mosley) who have fled the city in the hope of making a new life for themselves on an old farm owned by her uncle. He is invited to stay to help them, and they gradually they realise that by helping each other they can accomplish more, and more efficiently too, so establish a co-operative of locals and out-of-work visitors. The precision involved in their marvellous ditch digging scene proves that point effectively as they must quickly divert a nearby stream (that assumes rather Ganges-like proportions by the time they have finished) to save their drought affected corn is entertaining to watch, and the story reinforces the pioneering determination to try to make a go of things, despite the odds. Sadly, the on-screen talent - aside from Qualen - is pretty mediocre and the production is pretty basic - both of which do hold it back. As a comment on the social and community impact of the downturn in the late 1920s and 1930s - it has still some poignancy, though.