The Vanishing Virginian
Brief Synopsis
A conservative southern patriarch tries to cope with changing times.
Cast & Crew
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Frank Borzage
Director
Frank Morgan
Robert ["Cap'n Bob] Yancey
Kathryn Grayson
Rebecca Yancey
Spring Byington
Rosa Yancey
Natalie Thompson
Margaret Yancey
Douglass Newland
Jim Shirley
Film Details
Also Known As
Mr. Yancey of Virginia
Genre
Drama
Adventure
Western
Release Date
Feb
1942
Premiere Information
World premiere in Lynchburg, VA: 23 Jan 1942
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.
Distribution Company
Loew's Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the book The Vanishing Virginian by Rebecca Yancey Williams (New York, 1940).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 37m
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
8,707ft
(10 reels)
Synopsis
In 1913, district attorney Robert "Cap'n Bob" Yancey, the patriarch of a large, eccentric Lynchburg, Virginia family, has definite ideas about what his independently-spirited children should be. While teenager Rebecca wants to be an writer, Bob wants her to be an artist, and while his eldest daughter Margaret wants to be a lawyer, Bob wants her to be a singer. Bob plans to run for his seventh term as district attorney, but his loving wife Rosa prefers that he does not. One day, when he hears from his trusted old friend and family servant, Uncle Josh Preston, that Jefferson Brown, a black man and the son of Aunt Mandy Brown, who had worked for Bob's father, is about to go on trial for murder. Joshua is incensed, and convinced that Jefferson "has no murder in his heart." Bob respects Uncle Joshua's feeling, but as the district attorney he must prosecute. When Aunt Mandy comes to see Bob and says that Jefferson struck the dead man in anger because he had been with his wife, Bob assures her that her son will get a fair trial and promises to find a good lawyer. Bob is so impressed by young criminal attorney Jim Shirley, a new tenant in his building, that he asks him to defend Jefferson. As he soon learns, Jim is the son of Marcia Marshall, a childhood friend of Bob's. Meanwhile, Margaret's beau, Jack Holden, who is about to become a Stanley Steamer salesman, proposes, but Margaret turns him down, still determined to be a lawyer. That evening, Bob brings Jim home for dinner, and although the children are rambunctious and everything seems to go wrong, Jim feels comfortable with the family and develops a crush on Margaret. Some time later, when Jefferson's trial begins, Bob mops up spilled ink with his handkerchief and a few moments later wipes his face, using the same cloth. Seeing Bob's black, ink-stained face, the entire courtroom erupts in laughter, except for Jim and the presiding judge, Fred Stuart, who are angry and accuse Bob of doing the stunt on purpose. When Bob refuses to apologize, the judge jails him for contempt of court. That night, while Bob is in jail, Jim and Margaret argue over the issue and Jim leaves. When Bob is released, he learns that Jefferson has been convicted, but only of manslaughter, which resulted in a five-year sentence. Bob then happily reveals that he intended to disrupt the court because he knew that Jefferson was facing a "hanging" jury and the stunt would soften them. Soon Becky, who stood up for Jim in his argument with Margaret, gets flowers from him, and Rosa wants the family to take its vacation at their plantation outside of Lynchburg. During a political meeting, Bob later learns that his chief rival, Rogard, openly opposes Prohibition but is secretly stockpiling liquor for the time when the county "goes dry." Bob, who truly is against Prohibition, thinks that a man like Rogard should not be in office and decides to run for an eighth term, against Rosa's wishes. She forgives him for breaking his promise, but is very worried that he is tempting fate and will be defeated. That same day, Uncle Joshua saves little Caroline Yancey's life when a bull attacks the younger children while they are foolishly playing in the pasture. When it looks as though Joshua is going to have a heart attack, Bob starts to take a stick to the children, but Joshua recovers. The next day, Jack arrives at the plantation and tells Margaret that he does not mind if she becomes a lawyer and still wants to marry her. When the rest of the family goes with Jack in his car, Bob stays behind and discovers Joshua dead. A few days later, he eulogizes his old friend in the black church, saying that God may have allowed Joshua to stay on earth so long because he was needed to save Caroline's life. Some time later, Jack and Margaret are about to marry and a now more mature Becky and Jim become interested in each other. Marcia, who returns to town as a celebrity because she is traveling the country championing women's suffrage, tells Rosa how jealous she has always been of her, and Rosa softens toward her, even though a photograph of the two women appears in the newspaper and implies that Rosa, too, is a suffragette. After several more elections, in 1929, Bob is running for his eleventh term and Rosa is so worried that a defeat might devastate him that she writes all of their now-grown children to return home for a visit. Despite his popularity, Bob loses the election. The next day, the entire family, including Margaret, Jack and their family and Jim, Becky and her family, expects Bob to be depressed, but he is very cheerful because of his family and friends, and on his way to the office, he is touched when his supporters serenade him with "Auld Lang Syne."
Director
Frank Borzage
Director
Cast
Frank Morgan
Robert ["Cap'n Bob] Yancey
Kathryn Grayson
Rebecca Yancey
Spring Byington
Rosa Yancey
Natalie Thompson
Margaret Yancey
Douglass Newland
Jim Shirley
Mark Daniels
Jack Holden
Elizabeth Patterson
Grandma
Juanita Quigley
Caroline Yancey
Scotty Beckett
Joel Yancey
Dickie Jones
Robert Yancey, Jr.
Leigh Whipper
Uncle Josh [Preston]
Louise Beavers
Aunt Emmeline [Preston]
J. M. Kerrigan
John Phelps
Harlan Briggs
Mr. Rogard
Katharine Alexander
Marcia Marshall
Dolores Hurlic
Sugar
Marcella Moreland
Baby
Cleo Desmond
Aunt Mandy Brown
Barbara Bedford
Mildred Simpson
Dudley Dickerson
Alexander
Howard Hickman
Dr. Edwards
Alfred Grant
Jefferson Brown
Arie Lee Branche
Edith Brown
Erville Alderson
Judge Fred Stuart
Edward Hearn
Juryman
Hooper Atchley
Juryman
Francis Ford
Mountaineer
William Forrest
Wm. Harrison Jordon
Matt Moore
Chas. Inglestadt
George Irving
Roger Payson
Clinton Rosemond
Black minister
Keith Copland
Grandchild
Charles Bates
Grandchild
Margaret Campbell
Grandchild
Anelle Mccarthy
Grandchild
Dickie Mccoy
Grandchild
Lee Bennett
Joe, as an adult
Rita Quigley
Caroline, as an adult
Cliff Danielson
Robert, as an adult
Jester Hairston
Mover
Rex Downing
Newsboy
Helen Blizzard
Robert, Sr.'s wife
Myrtle Anderson
Maid
Lois Hodnett
Soloist in "Steal Away"
Clifford Holland
Soloist in "Steal Away
Clarence Badger Jr.
Soloist in "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home?"
Phyllis Cook
Soloist in "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home?"
Crew
Frank Borzage
Company
Lew Borzage
Assistant Director
Earl Brent
Music Adapted
Earl K. Brent
Composer
Henry Thacker Burleigh
Composer
Robert Burns
Composer
Hughie Cannon
Composer
Jack Dawn
Makeup created by
William Ferrari
Associate (Art Direction)
Jan Fortune
Screenwriter
Cedric Gibbons
Art Director
Jester Hairston
Spiritual Arrangements
Lennie Hayton
Music Director
Kalloch
Gowns
Edwin Knopf
Producer
Charles Lawton
Director of Photography
James E. Newcom
Film Editor
Douglas Shearer
Recording Director
David Snell
Music Score
Gile Steele
Men's Costume
Johann Strauss Ii
Composer
Franz Waxman
Addl Music
Minnaletha White
Composer
Edwin B. Willis
Set Decoration
Videos
Trailer
Hosted Intro
Film Details
Also Known As
Mr. Yancey of Virginia
Genre
Drama
Adventure
Western
Release Date
Feb
1942
Premiere Information
World premiere in Lynchburg, VA: 23 Jan 1942
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.
Distribution Company
Loew's Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the book The Vanishing Virginian by Rebecca Yancey Williams (New York, 1940).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 37m
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
8,707ft
(10 reels)
Articles
The Vanishing Virginian
A conservative southern patriarch tries to cope with changing times.
The Vanishing Virginian
A conservative southern patriarch tries to cope with changing times.
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
A working title of the film was Mr. Yancey of Virginia. The film opens with the following written prologue: "This is the story of a vanishing era when simple men so loved their country, their families and their friends that America became a better place in which to live. Such a man was 'Cap'n Bob' Yancey." Some reviews list a preview running time of 101 minutes. Rebecca Yancey Williams' book was based on the lives of her own family. According to the The Exhibitor review, the character of "Marcia Marshall" was loosely based on Nancy Astor, who made a newsworthy return to her native Virginia in the 1920s, after becoming the first woman member of the British House of Commons. This film marked the motion picture debut of actor Douglass Newland and also marked the first onscreen speaking part of choir director and actor Jester Hairston. Hairston is best known for his roles in the television series Amos 'n Andy in the 1950s and Amen in the 1980s.
