The Howards of Virginia

1940 film by Frank Lloyd

The Howards of Virginia

Newspaper advertisement

Directed by| Frank Lloyd
Screenplay by| Sidney Buchman
Based on| The Tree of Liberty
1939 novel
by Elizabeth Page
Produced by| Frank Lloyd
Jack H. Skirball (associate producer)
Starring| Cary Grant
Martha Scott
Cedric Hardwicke
Cinematography| Bert Glennon
Edited by| Paul Weatherwax
Music by| Richard Hageman
Distributed by| Columbia Pictures

Release date

* September 19, 1940 (1940-09-19)

Running time

| 116 minutes
Country| United States
Language| English
Cary Grant

The Howards of Virginia is a 1940 American drama war western film directed by Frank Lloyd, released by Columbia Pictures, and based on the book The Tree of Liberty written by Elizabeth Page. The Howards of Virginia live through the American Revolutionary War, with Cary Grant starring as Matt Howard, Martha Scott starring as his wife Jane Peyton Howard, and Alan Marshal and Sir Cedric Hardwicke starring as Jane's brothers Roger and Fleetwood Peyton. Fleetwood Peyton is Jane's elder brother, the patriarch of his family, and a member of the Tidewater aristocracy. The film includes a look at the young Matt Howard, Thomas Jefferson, and Jane Peyton.

Much of the film was shot at Colonial Williamsburg, much of which had only been recently restored or reconstructed at the time of the production. The Capitol, Raleigh Tavern, and Governor's Palace are prominently featured.

## Plot

[edit]

In 1755, the father of 12-year-old Matt Howard (Dickie Jones) joins the Braddock Expedition against the French in the Ohio Country after being promised 1,000 acres (400 ha) of land. Matt learns that his father died during the military expedition, and is consoled by his schoolmate and friend Thomas Jefferson (Buster Phelps).

Matt (Cary Grant), now an adult and accomplished backwoodsman, sells the family farm in order to settle in Ohio. When saying farewell to Jefferson (played as an adult by Richard Carlson), Matt is tricked into meeting several members of high society, including the snobbish, wealthy royalist Fleetwood Peyton (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) and his beautiful sister, Jane (Martha Scott). The Peytons snub him when they discover he's a common farmer and not a landed gentlemen (as Jefferson had implied). Matt falls in love with Jane. Fleetwood, certain Jane will turn Matt down, permits Howard to propose to her in order to humiliate the farmer. Matt buys a 1,000-acre (400 ha) farm in the Shenandoah Valley and erects a home there. When Matt returns, Jane (thrilled by Matt's republicanism and colonial spirit) shocks her family by accepting his proposal of marriage. Fleetwood repairs his relationship with Jane by giving her the diamond-encrusted Peyton family necklace.

Matt and Jane take up residence at Matt's new farm. Jane is shocked at the crude manners of the settlers, but Matt's vision of the future overcomes her worries. Jane and Matt work together, and the Howard's Albemarle Plantation takes shape. Their first child, Peyton, is born with a clubfoot (like his namesake uncle). Matt is ashamed of Peyton's disability. Jane has a daughter, Mary, and a second son, James. Despite her frontier spirit, Jane remains something of a snob. Jefferson visits Albemarle and shows Matt how unhappy Jane is living on the frontier. In order to justify returning to Williamsburg for several months without sacrificing his pride, Matt agrees to run for the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1765. He easily wins the election. Matt feuds with Fleetwood in the legislature, and is exposed to anti-British feeling and thought for the first time.

Revolutionary fervor strikes the American colonies, and Matt spends more and more time away from Albemarle to join Jefferson in Williamsburg in resisting the British crown. Fearing Indian attack, Jane moves from Albemarle to Williamsburg to be near Matt. When Matt decides to go to Philadelphia to fight for independence, Jane demands that he stay in Virginia and confronts Matt regarding his rejection of Peyton. Matt leaves, causing a rupture in his marriage. Jane and her children move in with Fleetwood. The American Revolutionary War breaks out, and Matt becomes a captain in the Continental Army. Unable to pay his taxes with credit, Fleetwood is forced to sell much of his land. He turns to drink, and throws Peyton and James out of his house when they support their father and Jefferson. Peyton and James find their father near-starvation in winter camp, and join the army.

Fleetwood embraces the royalist cause. His health declines and he becomes mentally ill. Matt discovers that James' allegiance to the revolutionary cause is weak, and realizes how much he has neglected Peyton. James wins leave and goes home to Williamsburg. Peyton remains with his father and the army. While acting as a courier for the army, Peyton is wounded. Matt and the Continental Army march to Williamsburg in order to surround Cornwallis at Yorktown. Matt learns Peyton was taken to Fleetwood's home to recuperate. He rushes to his son's side, reunites with his family, and reconciles with Jane after confessing how he mistreated Peyton.

## Cast

[edit]

* Cary Grant as Matt Howard
* Martha Scott as Jane Peyton Howard
* Richard Carlson as Thomas Jefferson
* Sir Cedric Hardwicke as Fleetwood Peyton
* Alan Marshal as Roger Peyton
* Phil Taylor as Peyton Howard at 18
* Rita Quigley as Mary Howard at age 17
* Tom Drake (as Richard Alden) as James Howard at 16
* Irving Bacon as Tom Norton
* Libby Taylor as Dicey
* Richard Gaines as Patrick Henry
* Paul Kelly as Captain Jabez Allen
* George Houston as George Washington
* Elisabeth Risdon as Aunt Clarissa
* Dickie Jones as Matt Howard at 12
* Buster Phelps as Thomas Jefferson at 11
* Ralph Byrd as James Howard
* Mary Field as Susan Howard

## Award nominations

[edit]

Richard Hageman was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Score, while Jack Whitney was in contention for Best Sound Recording.[1]

## Notes

[edit]

* The Hollywood Reporter: February 15, 1939
* Los Angeles Times: April 13, 1940
* Variety: September 4, 1940
* The New York Times: September 27, 1940

## See also

[edit]

* List of films about the American Revolution
* List of television series and miniseries about the American Revolution

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The 13th Academy Awards (1941) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 2011-08-13.

## External links

[edit]

Wikiquote has quotations related to The Howards of Virginia.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Howards of Virginia.

* The Howards of Virginia at IMDb
* The Howards of Virginia at Rotten Tomatoes
* The Howards of Virginia at the TCM Movie Database
* The Howards of Virginia at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films

* v
* t
* e

The films of Frank Lloyd

1910s|

* The Gentleman from Indiana (1915)
* Jane (1915)
* The Reform Candidate (1915)
* The Tongues of Men (1916)
* The Call of the Cumberlands (1916)
* Madame la Presidente (1916)
* The Code of Marcia Gray (1916)
* David Garrick (1916)
* The Making of Maddalena (1916)
* An International Marriage (1916)
* The Stronger Love (1916)
* The Intrigue (1916)
* Sins of Her Parent (1916)
* The World and the Woman (1916)
* The Kingdom of Love (1917)
* The Price of Silence (1917)
* A Tale of Two Cities (1917)
* American Methods (1917)
* When a Man Sees Red (1917)
* Les Misérables (1917)
* The Heart of a Lion (1917)
* The Blindness of Divorce (1918)
* True Blue (1918)
* Riders of the Purple Sage (1918)
* The Rainbow Trail (1918)
* For Freedom (1918)
* The Man Hunter (1919)
* Pitfalls of a Big City (1919)
* The World and Its Woman (1919)
* The Loves of Letty (1919)

1920s|

* The Woman in Room 13 (1920)
* The Silver Horde (1920)
* Madame X (1920)
* The Great Lover (1920)
* A Tale of Two Worlds (1921)
* Roads of Destiny (1921)
* A Voice in the Dark (1921)
* The Invisible Power (1921)
* The Grim Comedian (1921)
* The Man from Lost River (1921)
* The Eternal Flame (1922)
* The Sin Flood (1922)
* Oliver Twist (1922)
* The Voice from the Minaret (1923)
* Within the Law (1923)
* Ashes of Vengeance (1923)
* Black Oxen (1923)
* The Sea Hawk (1924)
* The Silent Watcher (1924)
* Her Husband's Secret (1925)
* Winds of Chance (1925)
* The Splendid Road (1925)
* The Wise Guy (1926)
* The Eagle of the Sea (1926)
* Children of Divorce (1927)
* Adoration (1928)
* Weary River (1929)
* The Divine Lady (1929)
* Drag (1929)
* Dark Streets (1929)
* Young Nowheres (1929)

1930s|

* Son of the Gods (1930)
* The Way of All Men (1930)
* The Lash (1930)
* The Right of Way (1931)
* East Lynne (1931)
* The Age for Love (1931)
* A Passport to Hell (1932)
* Cavalcade (1933)
* Berkeley Square (1933)
* Hoop-La (1933)
* Servants' Entrance (1934)
* Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
* Under Two Flags (1936)
* Maid of Salem (1937)
* Wells Fargo (1937)
* If I Were King (1938)
* Rulers of the Sea (1939)

1940s|

* The Howards of Virginia (1940)
* This Woman Is Mine (1941)
* The Lady from Cheyenne (1941)
* Forever and a Day (1943)
* Blood on the Sun (1945)

1950s|

* The Shanghai Story (1954)
* The Last Command (1955)

Productions|

* Saboteur (1942)
* The Spoilers (1942)
* Invisible Agent (1942)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template