Judge Priest (1934) History, Drama | with Will Rogers | Directed by John Ford

Judge William "Billy" Priest, an amiable Civil War veteran living in small-town Kentucky. While the widowed Judge Priest, a proud former Confederate, dispenses justice in his court, he also finds time to help his nephew, Jerome (Tom Brown), and woo Ellie May Gillespie (Anita Louise), the girl of his dreams. He also memorably performs with the doting Aunt Dilsey (Hattie McDaniels), making for a rousing depiction of postwar Southern living.

Judge Priest is a peculiar slice of 1930s cinema that awkwardly marries its antique charm, with storytelling, and an overt nostalgia for a South that never truly existed—a mythical realm where neighborly kindness, quaint humor, and racial harmony supposedly flourished under the Confederate flag.

Colorized version:    • 1934 Romantic Comedy - Old Judge Prie...  

This film is available with English & Spanish audio, and subtitled in many language options

Director: John Ford
Writers: Irvin S. Cobb, Dudley Nichols
Stars: Will Rogers, Tom Brown, Anita Louise & Hattie McDaniel
Genres: Classics, Comedy, Drama, Romance

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