''Come Next Spring'' is a 1956 American

Trucolor Trucolor was a color motion picture process used and owned by the Consolidated Film Industries division of Republic Pictures. It was introduced as a replacement for Consolidated's own Magnacolor process. Republic used Trucolor mostly for its We ...

movie directed by

R. G. Springsteen Robert G. Springsteen (September 8, 1904 – December 9, 1989) was an American director of Hollywood B movies and television shows. He was most often credited on screen as R. G. Springsteen. Biography Born in Tacoma, Washington in 1904, S ...

, starring

Ann Sheridan Clara Lou "Ann" Sheridan (February 21, 1915 – January 21, 1967) was an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in the films ''San Quentin'' (1937) with Humphrey Bogart, ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' (1938) with James Cagne ...

and

Steve Cochran Steve Cochran (born Robert Alexander Cochran, May 25, 1917 – June 15, 1965) was an American film, television and stage actor. He attended the University of Wyoming. After a stint working as a cowboy, Cochran developed his acting skills in loca ...

. The theme song, "Come Next Spring", with music by Max Steiner and lyrics by Lenny Adelson, was performed by

Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birth ...

. It was covered by Scott Walker on his 1968 album '' Scott 2''. Steiner wrote the score for the film, reusing much of his work from '' Sergeant York''.

Plot

Alcoholic Matt Ballot (Steve Cochran) abandoned his wife Bess (Ann Sheridan) and mute daughter Annie (Sherry Jackson) in Arkansas nine years ago. Now sober, he returns to discover Bess gave birth to a son, Abe (Richard Eyer), after he left. Bess grudgingly hires him as a handyman. Hytower (Sonny Tufts) wants to marry Bess and tries to make Matt jealous and picks a fight with him. Matt endears himself to his kids by defending them from wild pigs and a group of local bullies. He risks Annie's love by admitting that she was in the car when he drunkenly wrecked it. Although she was unhurt, she never spoke again. Annie embraces him. Matt later saves a child and Annie during an approaching tornado. Bess is upset when Matt has a single drink at a dance to prove he can stop at just one drink. Matt rescues her when, overcome by emotion, she accidentally drives her truck into a river. Annie falls into an old mine shaft, but Matt rescues her. Bess finally admits she is back in love with Matt.

Cast

as Bess Ballot *

as Matt Ballot *

Walter Brennan Walter Andrew Brennan (July 25, 1894 – September 21, 1974) was an American actor and singer. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in '' Come and Get It'' (1936), ''Kentucky'' (1938), and '' The Westerner ...

as Jeffrey Storys *

Sherry Jackson Sherry D. Jackson (born February 15, 1942) is an American retired actress and former child star. Early life Jackson was born in Wendell, Idaho, to Maurita (or Maurite) Kathleen Gilbert and Curtis Loys Jackson, Sr. on February 15, 1942, according ...

as Annie Ballot *

Richard Eyer Richard Ross Eyer (born May 6, 1945) is an American former child actor who worked during the 1950s and 1960s. He then became a teacher and taught at elementary schools in Bishop, California until he retired in 2006. He is the older brother of R ...

as Abraham Ballot *

Edgar Buchanan William Edgar Buchanan II (March 20, 1903 – April 4, 1979) was an American actor with a long career in both film and television. He is most familiar today as Uncle Joe Carson from the ''Petticoat Junction'', ''Green Acres'', and ''The ...

as Mr. Canary *

Sonny Tufts Bowen Charlton "Sonny" Tufts III (July 16, 1911 – June 4, 1970) was an American stage, film, and television actor. He is best known for the films he made as a contract star at Paramount in the 1940s, including ''So Proudly We Hail!''. He a ...

as Leroy Hytower * Harry Shannon as Mr. Totter * James Westmoreland as Bob Storys (as Rad Fulton) *

Mae Clarke Mae Clarke (born Violet Mary Klotz; August 16, 1910 – April 29, 1992) was an American actress. She is widely remembered for playing Henry Frankenstein's bride Elizabeth, who is chased by Boris Karloff in ''Frankenstein'', and for being o ...

as Myrtle *

Roscoe Ates Roscoe Blevel Ates (January 20, 1895 – March 1, 1962) was an American vaudeville performer, actor of stage and screen, comedian and musician who primarily featured in western films and television. He was best known as western character So ...

as Shorty Wilkins * Wade Rudy as Delbert Meaner *

James Best Jewel Franklin Guy (July 26, 1926 – April 6, 2015), known professionally as James Best, was an American television, film, stage, and voice actor, as well as a writer, director, acting coach, artist, college professor, and musician. Duri ...

as Bill Jackson

Production

Steve Cochran formed Robert Alexander Productions after his actual first two names. ''Come Next Spring'' was his first film, written by Cochran's friend

Montgomery Pittman Montgomery Pittman (March 1, 1920 – June 26, 1962) was a television writer, director, and actor. Among his notable credits are his work writing and directing various episodes of ''The Twilight Zone'', '' Maverick'' and ''77 Sunset Strip'' ...

and featuring Pittman's stepdaughter

. Filmed in locations around Sacramento, Republic promised Cochran an " A Picture" release but released it as the lower half of a double feature.p.193 Hagen, Ray, Wagner, Laura & Russell, Jane ''Ann Sherdian Interview'' ''Killer Tomatoes: Fifteen Tough Film Dames'' 2004 McFarland

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control 1956 films 1956 drama films American drama films Republic Pictures films Films directed by R. G. Springsteen Trucolor films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films