“A cry that stirs young hearts to love!”
Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! is a 1948 American comedy film written and directed by F. Hugh Herbert starring June Haver, Lon McCallister and a very young Natalie Wood. Released on April 26th 1948 through Twentieth Century FOX, it is known for being the first movie Marilyn Monroe appeared in.
PLOT:
Snug is unhappy living on the farm with his mean-spirited stepmother Judith and Surly stepbrother Stretch. When his father goes off to sea, bequeathing all of his possessions to his natural son in the event of his own death, Snug takes on work as a farm hand for irascible Roarer McGill and, under contract to pay $5 a week for one year, buys two mules from him.
The mules. Moonbeam and Crowder, start working well for Snug, but life is made difficult by nasty Stretch, who is not only making advances to Snug’s sweetheart, Rad, but also attempting to have him fired from his job and thus unable to keep up the payments on the mules.
FUN FACTS:
* This movie is only for the die hard Marilyn fans, as she only appears on screen for a matter of seconds and has only one line: “Hi Rad!” so please bare that in mind if you’re thinking of adding it to your collection.
* The original shooting script confirms that another slightly longer scene featuring Marilyn was definitely shot, only to be edited out just prior to the film’s release. This took place at the lake, preceding the segment in the released version in which Snug spies Stretch and Rad approaching the creek together in a boat. Stretch is sunning hiself on the dock when a boat approaches containing Betty and June (Colleen Townsend), described as “a couple of pretty bobby-soxers”;
Betty (gayly): Hi Stretch.
Stretch (drawling): Hi Betty– hi June.
June (coyly) Is it all right with you if we swim off your dock?
With one bare foot, Stretch shoves the nose off the boat out into the stream again
Stretch (grinning): No—it ain’t.
Betty: Ah, Stretch—why not?
Stretch: You’re too young, Come back in a couple of years time.
Giggling, the two kids pull out of the shot.
Unfortunately for both kids, they were also pulled out of the film. All that survives is a long distance background shot of the two girls rowing: neither of their faces are visible.
* Despite being the first film Marilyn ever appeared in, it was actually released after her second movie “Dangerous Years” which was released three months earlier.
* Costing $1,685,000 to film, “Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!” grossed $2 million during its first run.
* In 2014, the “Marilyn Monroe History” channel on YouTube uploaded the movie in its entirety and as of October 2019, has amassed over 63,000 views.
* As of October 2019, “Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!” has a rating of 6.1/10 on imdb.com
MARILYN’S WARDROBE:
It really is a ‘blink and you’ll miss her’ appearance from Marilyn, but she still looks super cute in a blue and white day dress.
MEMORIES OF MARILYN:
Colleen Townsend’s scene with Marilyn in a rowing boat unfortunately ended up on the cutting room floor, but here she remembers her time with the future star.
“It wasn’t much of a part for either Marilyn or for me, was it?… I never really knew her very well– you know, we didn’t socialize together –but I remember her best from the classes we attended together for the Actor’s Lab, and I just have very, very fond memories of her… Basically, at her heart, she was a very sweet person, a very loving person.”
CRITICS’ RESPONSE:
“Made for people who like good shots of honestly sweaty farm activity with sentimental tears dripping as heavily as the perspiration. The drips are honest and sincere in both directions.” (NEW YORK WORLD-TELEGRAM)
Buy your copy of “Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!” on DVD today: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scudda-Hoo-Hay-June-Haver/dp/B01M2C0FYS/ref=sr_1_3?crid=31SJ1OK7ZTIJW&keywords=scudda+hoo+scudda+hay&qid=1570540823&sprefix=scudda+hoo%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-3
Sources:
imdb.com
“Blonde Heat: The Sizzling Screen Career Of Marilyn Monroe”
“Marilyn Monroe: Platinum FOX”
