Home in Indiana
Home in Indiana
NR | 15 June 1944 (USA)
Home in Indiana Trailers

'Sparke' Thorton, a lad with a penchant for trouble, is sent to live with his Uncle and Aunt Bolt in Indiana after his Aunt Henrietta Bolt dies. Though he's not happy about the arrangement at first, his love of horses and his affection for a young filly that he plans to race make life bearable. He also finds romance with tomboyish 'Char' Bruce who shares his love for horses.

Reviews
Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible
FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.
Dirtylogy It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.
Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
dougdoepke Hard not to like this picturesque celebration of America's heartland. Sure, it's idealized, filmed as though it stepped off the pages of a glossy Town and Country magazine. And that's along with a super-engaging Crain and McCallister whose two youthful innocents seem worlds away from today. Add Brennan and Greenwood as the tough-love adults and it's a great core cast. The values are strictly family and conservative-- right down to grace before dinner-- but in a non-sanctimonious way.Director Hathaway paces the spare plot nicely so that events never drag. McCallister's got to get surrogate dad Brennan back into the horse business. But to do that, he must win a trotter's race (an Indiana specialty), and in the process develop eyes for the de-glamorized tomboy Crain who's stuck on him. Naturally there are complications, including Haver's glamorous rich girl who proves a temporary distraction. But, surprise, surprise, things do work out in the end.No, they sure don't make 'em like this any more, right down to the Huck Finn swimming hole and Greenwood's stern mother figure looking like she stepped off that famous American Gothic painting. Hollywood's nostalgia factory was hitting on all eight with this warm, non- sappy tale. I guess my only reservation is why they went to Kentucky to film a tribute to Indiana. Oh well, we're probably lucky they didn't cut corners and do it in the studio backlot.
wgmcs6 I am old enough to have seen this movie first run. At the time I was blown away by this film because it had every thing in it any city kid would want to be able to do, which mostly was race horses and have a pretty girl interested in the same thing as a friend. Since this film was so important to me I feel compelled to correct an error in the cast listing by IMDb. Currently Jeanne Crain's character is listed as Char Bruce which is correct, but June Haver's character is listed as Cri-Cri Bruce which would make them sisters which they are not! Cri-Cri is the daughter of Godaw Boole, the owner of the horse farm where Char's father is the head trainer, soooooo Cri-Cri's last name should be Boole, not Bruce! I have no idea how this casting error crept into IMDb's data base, but as a movie fan interested in accuracy I'm requesting that IMDb correct this mistake. I know I am right in this because I've seen this film at least 20 times over the years and have read the book that the film is based on (The Phantom Filly).
harry-76 For those who like horses and horse racing, "Home in Indiana" offers a pleasant diversion.Focusing on three in the cast, this was Jeanne Crain's first notable role, and what a "natural" she is. Completely at home before the camera, she shows early on her quintessential "girl-next-door" charm.Paired with the equally "boy-next-door" Lon Mcallister, the two are perfect together. Lon came with a full list of juvenile film roles, and looked like the personification of a callow Indiana farm boy.As for the amazing Walter Brennan, this was just another of his inexhaustible number of roles, always appearing much older than he actually was.A further look at Brennen's folio, he made a whopping 63 films in three years (1933-35)! Can you imagine that? I can't.The three together, along with Charlotte Greenwood as the proverbial "farm marm," offer a most convincing group of typical ranchers, struggling between corn crop mores and big city conventions--the latter represented by June Haver.And those mares--absolutely beautiful!
janvol22 Home in Indiana is a wonderful movie. I saw this on AMC when I was a kid and still remember it. It's a film about a troubled youth who comes to live on his aunt and uncles farm. At first he doesn't want to be there but then he makes some friends and eventually gets involved in some kind of chariot horse racing. The music score and talent makes this film a classic. Another movie called April Love, with Pat Boone and Shirley Jones , came out about 20 years after Home in Indiana and copied the premise of the movie. Jeanne Crain is the one I remember most in this film, I think it was her second film. I think Fox released this movie and I hope they release this timeless movie on DVD soon, along with other Jeanne Crain films.