Come Next Spring (1956) User Reviews (26)

The Idyllic side of small-town Arkansas

[krorie · 7/10 · 27 August 2005]

"Come Next Spring" created quite a commotion in my hometown when first released in 1956, for the story and the setting is Independence County, Arkansas, in a real backwoods town called Cushman, once known for its mining activities, but no more. The movie refers to the community as Cushin. I don't know where "Come Next Spring" was filmed, but the location photography does resemble the landscape of present day Cushman. The town is still there with very few changes since pioneer days, except now the denizens do have electricity and indoor plumbing. My family didn't get the indoor plumbing until I was in college in the early 1960's. Having grown up in the area I'm here to tell you that the film only shows one side of small-town life in the hills and hollows of Arkansas. There is also the negative side of small-town America depicted by other films of the era such as "Picnic." That being said the idyllic side is worth a look see. The acting is topnotch and the story is supposedly based on a true incident about a man who deserted his family during hard times in the 1920's (The Great Depression began early for rural America). Unlike most lost men, however, he returned to his family after years of wandering to attempt to put things back together. Ann Sheridan and Steve Cochran give standout performances as estranged husband and wife trying to reconcile their differences. Sherry Jackson is magnetic as the mute daughter instrumental in restoring her parents' love for each other. There is also a wonderful assortment of character actors to play the local folks, including Walter Brennan, Edgar Buchanan, Sonny Tufts, Mae Clark, and James Best in one of his early roles.

Though the Max Steiner music is good with Tony Bennett singing the theme, it is not apropos for Cushman, Arkansas, of the 1920's. Country (called hillbilly at the time) and folk music were about the only kind of music listened to in that area before the birth of rock 'n' roll, with many of the locals picking and grinning. It would have been more appropriate to have used a popular group of the genre, or even someone from the community. The number one song for 1956 was written by a performer from the general area, "Singing the Blues" by Melvin Endsley. Another noted musician from the area in those days was the multi-talented Wayne Rainey. Both were from near Batesville, which is the county seat of Independence County. Neighboring Stone County produced folk artist Jimmie Driftwood, who wrote "The Battle of New Orleans" and "Tennessee Stud." Using any of these artists would have added to the rural flavor of "Come Next Spring." But that was not the Hollywood way.

If you liked "The Waltons" or "Little House on the Prairie," you should enjoy this movie, which to my knowledge is not available on DVD. It is seldom shown on satellite or cable television. So you may have a difficult time viewing a copy. But if you get the chance, don't miss watching it.

Quiet film of guarded hopes

[jjnxn-1 · 8/10 · 13 October 2013]

Charming piece of Americana affords Steve Cochran a nice change of pace from the brooding thugs he normally played. While he certainly had the physique and dangerous air required for those roles there was also an underlying gentleness to his screen presence that is well utilized here. He is well matched with Ann Sheridan, an actress with her own tough persona. Her careworn appearance in the film matches well with her role as a no nonsense farm woman and as always she offers a high quality performance. Their tentative dance of reconciliation after a long period of estrangement and nice touches that help add to the flavor of small community life make this most worthy picture one to check out.

Wonderful Americana!

[mark_r_harris · 8/10 · 4 February 2000]

This rural drama set in 1920s Arkansas is a thoroughly winning film, full of charm and sentiment balanced by straightforward honesty and a trace of grit. Talented screenwriter Montgomery Pittman creates a believable situation involving a ne'er-do-well alcoholic husband (Steve Cochran) who returns to his wife (Ann Sheridan) and family years after abandoning them, hoping to make amends. The wife, however, has learned to manage well on her own, and the way she reacts to this unexpected reappearance is breathtakingly direct and no-nonsense. The leads are terrific; Cochran produced this movie for himself and it shows off his talent extremely well. In fact, the great Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni must have been impressed, because he starred Cochran in the drama Il Grido two years later. I seem to recall that Pittman was also involved with that film. Pittman later wrote some rural-themed episodes for The Twilight Zone, one of which stars James Best, who has a small role in Come Next Spring. Earl Hamner, also a Twilight Zone writer, seems to have taken several hints from Pittman when he came to create The Waltons; the character of the Walton mother, especially as played by Patricia Neal in The Homecoming, is quite reminiscent of Sheridan's performance. An article in New York magazine several years ago revealed that Martin Scorsese is a great admirer of Come Next Spring, which is an urgent candidate for video/DVD release.

Good? GREAT!

[ptb-8 · 12 February 2004]

This exceptionally effective and emotional small film is one of Republic's very best, and one of their last that was creatively and carefully produced as the studio died. In lovely-odd storybook Tru-colour that really suits the Americana, and with an excellent cast, especially the always gorgeous Anne Sheridan and handsome unappreciated Steve Cochran COME NEXT SPRING with its Max Steiner Score, and Tony Bennett theme song has remained unloved an unappreciated for too long by mainstream knowledge. I've heard Scorsese recites it as an influence and it should well be studied by film makers to see how well a small budget but love and care can result in an excellent tough, real, romantic family drama. It actually wasn't until the very last scene did I realise I had seen it as a child and the overwhelming emotion just burst from me, so effective and elating is this finale. The real and crumbling backwoods town they all vist in one scene is probably as close to real surviving 1920s smallville-america as we would ever genuinely see. Look for this film and get settled, you are in for a major discovery and a real treat. Probably influenced by the mega success of FRIENDLY PERSUASION and with Johnny Guitar and Quiet Man rentals to spend, Republic saw a moment when they could still take a chance on small town values with an A grade tech effort. Vale Republic!

This movie was filmed in our home town.

[rlkkrandall · 7/10 · 30 April 2014]

I just watched this movie (Come Next Spring) for maybe the 3rd time. My mother Bonnie Tilley was in High School in Ione Ca. when this film was being made. She has many of the actors signatures. It was a pretty big deal to say the least. The downtown scene is unmistakable, main st. Ione. The inside poolroom scene was the pool hall. The church is outside Ione near Camanche Lake, (north shore), and the barn and house in the film is also in the Camanche area, which is also near Ione, and later became Paul's Boarding House. The train is on display near the Ione City hall. The movie had some big stars, and was pretty good, but it's so interesting to anyone who grew up in the area, because almost every scene is familiar.

Excellent Movie

[htre2003 · 10/10 · 11 November 2007]

I remember seeing "Come Next Spring" in the late 50's. I have never forgotten this movie. Its a good family story that provides the family with a second chance at love. Seeing a broken family reunited was a breath of fresh air. Would like to buy it if available. Steve Cochron played an excellent role as a down and out drunk. He worked himself back into the family by reestablishing himself as a responsible man. James Best and Walter Brennan played interesting characters that worked hard at protecting the family that Steve Cochron had left behind. At the end of the movie the neighbors united to help the family. It was especially nice to see Sonny Tuffs helping Steve Cochron save his daughter. This was after both of these men had fought for the love of the women that Steve Cochron had left behind. Is this movie available to buy or to record????????????. Very interested. If available to buy or record please contact [e-mail]

Tomorrow is another day.

[ulicknormanowen · 7/10 · 29 May 2020]

A beautiful tale of redemption, with delightful colors ,a deliciously old-fashioned atmosphere and moving performances by Ann Sheridan and Steve Cochran (all sweetness and light: not the usual tough guy).

It's not an action-packed movie, but rather a depiction of simple rural life where all people stand together when they are struck by a disaster ; sentimentality is kept to a minimum level and the rapport the prodigal father has with his children goes straight to the heart ; it's suitable for the whole family ,just like the "little house" TV series except that Charles Ingalls was always a goody-two-shoes.

I'd tone things a bit for the long rumble which is mostly filler ,but the final pictures make up for it.

A must see for anyone who loves Americana!

[RalphRoe · 10/10 · 19 November 2006]

I saw this movie as the lower half of a double feature when it was released in 1957. I cannot recall the main feature, but the quality of "Come Next Spring" has been up front in my memory bank ever since. I have searched for it on DVD or VHS and never found it. Ann Sheridan was so totally believable as a middle aged country woman. It was by far the finest work Sonny Tufts ever did. Walter Brennan, Roscoe Ates and the entire supporting cast were superb. No one could have guessed it was a Republic production, for every major production value was in this picture. If anyone knows where a copy can be obtained, I would love to know.

Cochran's back and Sheridan's got him

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 16 January 2014]

A young Tony Bennett sings the theme song over the opening credits of Come Next Spring a nice family film set in Arkansas during the Twenties. The leads are Ann Sheridan and Steve Cochran two players who you would not think of in casting such a film.

Sheridan was not known as the Oomph Girl for nothing and Cochran was usually cast as smooth talking, but rough gangster types. Cochran had a hand in producing Come Next Spring and he plays an absentee father come home to his wife and two children, one of whom he never knew he had. It was a bitter parting, after an automobile accident which left daughter Sherry Jackson mute, Cochran went all to seed and left. Sheridan raised her kids alone for the past twelve years and gave birth to Richard Eyer posthumously.

Cochran tries his best to win his wife again, but she's definitely taking a wait and see attitude. Cochran also has competition from one of the locals Sonny Tufts who's a real lout and keeps trying to bait Cochran into fisticuffs.

Movie music fans will see and note that Max Steiner did the score for Come Next Spring and through a good deal of the running time he used his Oscar nominated theme from another film with a rural setting Sergeant York. It works well in this film also.

The rest of the cast is populated with people who were veterans of rural set pictures like Walter Brennan, Harry Shannon, Roscoe Ates, Edgar Buchanan and James Best. Come Next Spring came out at the tail end of Republic Picture's history and ironically enough Republic whose main source of income was B western cowboys and John Wayne where Herbert J. Yates saw pure profit in selling his services to the major studios for their films were both pretty much gone now. Yet at the end this dying studio did occasionally put out some good product.

One of those good products is Come Next Spring a film that holds up well for family viewing.

Wonderful cast and superb director present wonderful story

[morrisonhimself · 10/10 · 27 January 2019]

It was many years ago I first saw "Come Next Spring" but I remembered it fondly all this time. Then, tonight, when I found it on YouTube, I just had to watch.

Wow.

It is even better than I remembered.

What I remembered most was that I instantly became a fan of R.G. Springsteen. I had already been, of course, a fan of Ann Sheridan and the superlative, the magnificent Walter Brennan. After so many years, I didn't remember the other cast members.

But tonight, in cold January of 2018, I am sitting in open-mouthed awe at the extraordinary high quality of some of the best performers in Hollywood.

One aspect: Even the antagonists of the protagonist are people we can like -- and Sonny Tufts really stands out, showing his talent should have let him be a bigger star.

Starting with a good story and good script by actor/director/writer Montgomery Pittman, director Springsteen gave us people to be interested in and to care about.

Those people were played by beautiful and busy Sherry Jackson, who was not continually cast because of her looks: Even here, as a 13-year-old, she showed immense acting ability. It's hard to look away from her.

As the younger brother, Abraham, Richard Eyer reminded me at first of one of the Cochran kids, but Eyer was quite the scene-stealer here, giving just the right amount of exuberant kid. Really a great performance.

Republic just out-did itself with this exciting, pleasant, dramatic, funny film. I recommend this family film to everyone, even crusty bachelors like myself.

Ann Sheridan and the awesome W. Brennan

[ksf-2 · 6/10 · 13 January 2021]

Period piece. Arkansas, 1920s. Matt Ballot (Steve Cochran) has been away from his family for many years. leaving Bess (Ann Sheridan) to raise the kids herself. she hasn't forgiven Matt for leaving, and neither has the rest of the town. it may take a while. if he sticks around. this one moves pretty slowly. You'll recognize some other fun (older) names in this one... Walter Brennan was in so many westerns. Ed Buchanan with his slow, gravelly gruff voice is the next door neighbor. it's okay. life lessons learned. pretty serious stuff. directed by RG Springsteen. not much on him out there. looks like he did mostly western films until about 1957, then it was a mix of television and films. story by monty pittman. sadly, Sheridan and pittman both died young of cancer. Cochran died young of an infection. on a boat. near guatamala, allegedly with an underage girl aboard. that story would probably make a more interesting tale.

Completely predictable....yet quite enjoyable as well.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 27 June 2018]

Normally, saying a movie is predictable is a bad thing. However, just as with books, sometimes you want to see a nice, schmaltzy and very predictable film....and "Come Next Spring" fits the bill.

The story is set in 1920s Arkansas and begins with Matt Ballot (Steve Cochran) arriving home for the first time in nine years. During his absence, his wife was forced to raise their two children. But apparently drinking was more important to Matt....and he spent most of his time away boozing it up. But he claims to be clean and sober and has stopped by to see his kids. He says he only plans to make the visit brief, but the kids seem to idolize him....and she asks him to stay. Where does all this go? And, what about his daughter's affliction? See the film....you'll enjoy it.

The acting was just fine and the writing predictable but good...and my wife and I greatly enjoyed the movie. Well worth seeing.

Nice Little Flick

[boblipton · 6/10 · 15 November 2020]

In 1920s Arkansas, Steve Cochrane returns after a dozen years. He says he's given up the booze, but wife Ann Sheridan is skeptical.

It's a well told story, like Faulkner without the creeps, with a typically fine performance by Walter Brennan; Republic could turn out good middle-brow pictures, so long as they were not too demanding. Their audiences wanted entertainment, and this low-key tale of penance and redemption shows all the performers to their advantage. Director R.G. Springsteen was a talented journeyman director, who got good performances and had an eye for scenery. Cinematographer had run the camera for some Raoul Walsh movies in the 1920s before getting stuck in B westerns.

First Rate Movie by Second Rate or Has-Been Cast

[louis-king · 15 July 2006]

The cast of this movie, Ann Sheridan, Steve Cochran, Walter Brennan have all made movies that are better known, but they've rarely been better than they are here.

I've never heard of the director, but he manages to pull a good performance out of the usually dreadful Sonny Tufts. Here he plays a tough, semi-bully (but not totally bad) adversary to Steve Cochran.

Other's have written the plot outline so I won't repeat it. One of my favorite scenes is Walter Brennan's drunken confession to Matt (Steve Cochran) about his birth certificate and his sober morning after contradiction! It's nearly as funny as Brennan's false teeth running gag in 'Red River'.

Ann Sheridan role was much like Sally Field's in 'Places In The Heart', totally different from her wise-cracking oomph-girl roles in the 30's and 40's.

I've never understood why Steve Cochran failed to become an A star. Like Robert Mitchum, he could play hero or heavy equally well. Reading his mini-biography, Cochran's own real life story (and death) would make a great noirish movie.

Sherry Jackson was a fine child star. Her performance as John Wayne's tomboy daughter in 'Trouble Along The Way' was equal if not better than her touching performance in this movie. She developed into a stunningly beautiful woman and then dropped from sight. She had a fine turn in the original Star Trek as a sexy-sad android.

'Come Next Spring' is very much like the better known 'Picnic' and I think it's just as good.

I've never forgotten the very last scene which still chokes me up when I think of it.

come next spring

[mossgrymk · 6/10 · 6 December 2020]

Put simply, the problem with this film is that it's too damn nice (or, as its characters would say, "darn nice"). Rather than taking serious matters somewhat lightly, in the best "Yearlings" tradition, writer Montgomery Pittman (who I read on Wikipedia was star Steve Cochran's handyman) and director R.G. Springsteen choose, in the best "Waltons" tradition, to completely sugarcoat the pill of a deadbeat, alcoholic dad trying to reinsert himself back in his wife and kids' good graces. At no point in the movie is it anything but obvious that Anne Sheridan's single mom will take back Cochran's ne'r do well with completely loving arms nor, in what is a more significant screenwriting dereliction, is there even a whiff among Cochran's two kids that they are anything but completely enamored of Dear Ol Drunken Dad. Combine this with rather lackluster direction by Springsteen, in which none of the big set pieces...a tornado, a faux Fordian fight between Cochran and Sonny Tufts in the Vic McLaglen role, the final rescue scene...come fully alive, and you can see why good performances from the leads, plus the usual good Walter Brennan, Tufts, James Best and Edgar Buchanan in support, and nice kid acting from Richard Eyer and Sherry Jackson, cannot redeem the basic story and tone deafness of this film. Give it a C plus. PS...Good cinematography from Jack Marta that almost had me believing Northern Calif. was Northern Arkansas.

The sets were accurate.

[rfgphoto · 8/10 · 30 December 2021]

As a child in the 50's, I lived in a small town in south Georgia. I remember going to town on Saturday and seeing the streets sidewalks packed and jammed with the "country people" who came to town once a week to buy the supplies they did not grow themselves. I've seen the old cars from the 20s, 30s and 40s parked side-by-side with wagons drawn by mules or horses. I've seen weeds growing up along the curbs of the unpaved, or partially paved streets. I've also seen the barefoot boys teasing the girls. After all, I was one of those barefoot boys and oh how I loved that little redheaded girl!

Season To Taste

[writers_reign · 6/10 · 4 February 2010]

There's nothing here we haven't seen before - and often better done - but that doesn't mean it should be dismissed out of hand. For one thing there's a certain novelty value in seeing Ann Sheridan as a middle-aged hard-working pioneer woman one-generation on (her classic come-back in They Drive By Night, when someone remarks 'what a chassis', 'you couldn't even afford the highlights', now a distant memory, and serial tough-guy heavy Steve Cochran as a recovering alkie now content to farm the land in rural Arkansas. Sonny Tufts, who never really found his niche, is also along for the ride, playing once again the love-rival, with lots of the usual suspects filling out the supporting roles. Definitely worth an hour and a half of anyone's time.

Redemption takes time...and patience.

[mark.waltz · 9/10 · 23 January 2019]

This is a touching story about how atonement can truly bring peace to the people who were hurt by the person seeking forgiveness. In this case, it is not only about moving on with one's life but welcoming back without conditions the prodigal husband (Steve Cochran) after they proved how contrite they are for their sins. When wife Ann Sheridan first sees Cochran, she dropped her pail of water in Shock. If it is the shock of horror or shock of seeing someone she has never stopped loving that remains to be seen. However, even though she welcomes him home, it is under the understanding that he will stay on as a farmhand with no marital rights simply so he can get to know the children that he ran out on twelve years before.

Life in the Arizona country is pretty rough and it takes a lot of work from both Cochran and Sheridan to regain their marriage after he ran off suffering from alcoholism. Now sober, he hopes to win her back especially when he sees the two beautiful children that he now has: loving son Richard Eyer and the mute Sherry Jackson. Cochran's bravery during a tornado helps restore their marriage, but the threat of Cochran going off the wagon and taunting from the bullyish Sonny Tufts threatens to make Sheridan consider getting rid of Cochran for good.

Excellent supporting performances by veteran character actress Walter Brennan and Edgar Buchanan adds an earthiness to this terrific drama. This is Republic Studios at its finest, nearly as great as "The Quiet Man", and on par with the same year's "Friendly Persuasion" as far as storytelling, characterization, photography and absolutely perfect detail go. From the moment you hear Tony Bennett singing the opening theme song through each situation, you are absolutely involved and hoping that this couple can work out their problems. The tornado sequence is absolutely frightening. This has now been added to my list a films that deserve to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture and since that did not happen certainly worthy of rediscovery and study.

Cochrane and Sheridan Deliver Unexpected Performances

[mbhur · 8/10 · 15 November 2020]

Very nice family drama with the rural Arkansas 1920s setting believably depicted in a non-stereotypical fashion. The biggest joy for me was seeing two Hollywood veterans, in what turned out to be the final phase of their careers (both died too young) playing completely against type. Ann Sheridan as the wisecracking gal with a tough exterior but a heart of gold livened many great Warner Brothers movies of the '30s and '40s, playing opposite the likes of Bogart, Cagney, and Raft. She was also a hardboiled dame in several noirs. In Come Next Spring she's wonderful as a strong willed farm woman, and I'm guessing she really enjoyed this different kind of role, since she's on record as hating her "Ooomph Girl" studio moniker. Cochrane was never a star, but played his usual cocky tough guy role in a few major movies (Best Years of Our Lives and White Heat) and in many B crime pictures. He produced Come Next Spring, and in Hollywood I guess that's what you needed to do to get a part far outside of your image. What other producer would've cast Steve Cochran as a reformed, small town drunk who wants to get his family back?

If I have a quibble with the movie it's how little anger the Sheridan character shows towards her husband for walking out on her with a 2 year old daughter, leaving her to raise 2 young children alone (the second comes after he's gone) and run the farm.) Well, we're shown that she reads the Bible, so I guess she must've really taken to heart some of its teachings on forgiveness. Though her husband deserted her she never got a divorce, making it simpler in the story for him to move back in and pick up where things left out. In "real life" would she have not likely gotten a divorce so she could get on with her life, even given the slim pickings of eligible suitors around? Well, because this is a family movie, it doesn't deal with the fact that she must've been very lonely all those years, if you get my drift. Nor does she ask him about other women he's been with over the years, no doubt quite a few given Cochrane's looks and charm. (By the way, the IMDB summary next to the title says that he's been away 12 years. I just watched this movie and 9 years is clearly stated. That would make the daughter 11 and the son 9, more realistic ages for then than 14 and 12. No way is Sherry Jackson in this movie playing a 14 year old).

A couple of reviewers indicated they weren't fans of the fight between Cochrane and Sonny Tufts. Just wanted to point out that the official poster for this movie likens it to The Quiet Man, which was Republic Pictures biggest commercial and critical hit ever, and featured the longest and most famous brawl in movie history, between John Wayne and Victor McGlaughlin So the fight in Come Next Spring is clearly meant to bring back memories of that one. It's similarly staged, with many stops and starts, and the two combatants surrounded by cheering, whooping locals, and both getting soaking wet. It's not as well directed as in Quiet Man, but thankfully it doesn't go on nearly as long! As for injecting violence into a family movie, as soon as the fight starts, the upbeat, raucous music cues us that no one is going to get really hurt.

Speaking of the music, in the score by Max Steiner I immediately recognized a recurring motif from his score for Sergeant York 14 years earlier, another movie with a rural southern setting. It was a musical motif that I've always associated with Sergeant York, so every time I heard it I couldn't help but think of the other movie. Well, I guess you can't accuse Steiner of plagiarism when he's stealing from himself.

Wonderful Americana

[kkmg2234 · 9/10 · 9 January 2024]

I caught this film on Amazon last year. Rural dramas are usually not my preferred genre but I was intrigued by the casting of Steve Cochran and Walter Brennan. I was not disappointed by this fine feature. Cochran and Ann Sheridan did a great job playing against type. Brennan and a young James Best have good roles and the child actors are believable (especially Sherry Jackson). The movie is sympathetic to its subject without being patronizing or cloying. Even Sonny Tufts gave a decent performance. I've read that Martin Sorcese is a fan of of the film. I'm not surprised: a great movie which deserves to be better known.

NOSTALGIA

[Michel_Russell · 29 May 2004]

For some reason whenever I hear the word 'Spring' I inevitably think of the movie 'Come Next Spring' which I remember seeing as a teenager. I thought Ann Sheridan & Steve Cochran were near the end of their careers and this was their swansong and did they know how to capture the whole essence of a small town community going through a crisis. It is warm, gentle and has a loving nature running all through it as though they all knew that the studio was near the end like a lot of the cast in their careers. Even the song I can still remember. Worth a remake? No impossible. It was the film that got away but luckily I have a good memory!

Charming, emotional rural love story with unique ending

[adrianovasconcelos · 8/10 · 28 April 2023]

I have to confess off the bat that Director Springsteen is unknown to me, although I have read favorable comments about his film DOUBLE JEOPARDY.

Well, COME NEXT SPRING is no noir, it is a love story following the reunion of an Arkansas man with the family he had walked out on, nine years earlier. Montgomery Pittman serves up a charming and touching screenplay that really tugs at your heart strings, as Matt Ballot (Cochran) sees his teenage daughter and meets for the first time the son he did not even know he had... and pleads with his former wife to take him on as a hired hand.

Of course, a beautiful woman like Ann Sheridan is sure to attract other males, and Sonny Tufts wastes no time announcing to Matt that he wants Sheridan. You can tell - and Matt admits it - that that fight is written on the wall but, before it happens, there is an interesting sequence involving a cyclone or tornado that only makes Matt more agreeable to his children, and even to his former wife.

Excellent color photography, lovely musical theme sung by a very young Tony Bennett, and very touching performances by the leads. Walter Brennan, winner of three supporting Oscars and perhaps the most famous supporting actor of all time, does not shine as much as usual, but certainly does not compromise, either.

Edgar Buchanan, another top rung supporting actor, puts in an immaculate performance - pity that it is so short.

The ending is truly unique, a blend of love, good will, repentance and forgiveness all working together in young Sherry Jackson's voice.

This wholesome picture flies by in a very fast 92 minutes.

Definitely worth watching-

The roots of a great film

[horn-5 · 23 November 2005]

Steve Cochran had formed his own independent-producing firm in 1955, called Robert Alexander Productions (his birth name was Robert Alexander Cochran), and an offshoot of this company, Tangent Films, was making television commercials in New York.

In 1950, while working together on Warner Brothers' "THE LION AND THE HORSE", Sherry Jackson introduced her young widowed mother to writer Montgomery Pittman, Steve Cochran's best friend.(Sherry Jackson's father was killed in an automobile accident in 1948.) This meeting between Pittman and Jackson's mother culminated in their marriage two years later, with Steve Cochran acting as best man for his friend Pittman.

In 1955, Montgomery Pittman turned his (exceptional) writing talent to providing a challenging vehicle for his vastly-talented young step-daughter and came up with COME NEXT SPRING. Steve Cochran bought the story for his just-formed Robert Alexander Productions.

Steve Cochran then SOLD it to Republic Pictures Corporation, for an undisclosed amount of money...plus the proviso that he would star in the film and Sherry Jackson would play the role of Annie Ballott. Republic agreed to the terms, laid out the money... and Robert Alexander Productions and erstwhile-producer Steve Cochran made a graceful exit, while (uncredited)Republic house-people took over the production of this now-recognized great film, directed by the unheralded (before or afterwards) R. G. Springsteen, who had only once before been handed a film---A PERILOUS JOURNEY--- with an A-budget and cast of this quality and never a story of the quality written by Montgomert Pittman, just written with his step-daughter in mind as the mute Annie Boots, who was mute because of an automobile accident.

House-director "Bud" Springsteen did himself proud. Possibly because Montgomery Pittman was standing near-by?

After a long separation and heartache

[jarrodmcdonald-1 · 17 September 2014]

COME NEXT SPRING is one of last motion pictures produced by Republic. This winner has Ann Sheridan and Steve Cochran as a married couple finding their way back together after a long separation and heartache. It's surprising how good Cochran is in this role, truly demonstrating his range as a serious dramatic actor. Ann Sheridan is her usual excellent self, and the kids (played by Sherry Jackson and Richard Eyer) are well cast. The story is also bolstered by the presence of stalwart character actors like Walter Brennan and Edgar Buchanan. The production was filmed using the Trucolor process in rural California. This location stands in quite nicely for the Ozarks, the story's actual setting.

Good Movie

[ejgreen-tin · 26 August 2002]

This is such a great movie, I wish I could find it on video or DVD. It's been a very long time since I have seen it. It left quite an impression though. It's funny, heartwarming and very enjoyable. It is a great family show.