Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence

Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence is a 1939 American drama film directed by Ricardo Cortez and featuring Jean Rogers, Raymond Walburn, and Marjorie Rambeau. The film is produced by Sol M. Wurtzel, written by Dalton Trumbo and William Bowers, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Its narrative is a superb mix of emotion, struggle, and aspiration, set against the struggles of the Great Depression.

The film's central character is a young New Yorker named Joe (Glenn Ford), a city-dwelling sales clerk who dreams of a different life, one far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city skylines. Having saved for years, Joe finally decides to take the long journey to claim a plot of farmland in Arizona, purchased sight unseen, and live the rest of his life as a gentleman farmer. What makes the plot interesting is his naïveté and idealistic expectation about farming life, something which is a far cry from his city dwelling experience, sowing seeds of suspense about the feasibility of his dream.

Emblematic of his innocence, Joe believes his journey will be brief. He anticipates minor obstacles but believes he is more than equipped to overcome them and build the utopic life about which he has dreamt. However, his journey to the West is more challenging than expected and serves as a backdrop for many elements of the plot.

On his journey, Joe befriends three individuals who contribute significantly to his growth and understanding of life beyond the city. First off, there's Tony (Richard Conte), an outspoken socialist who broadens Joe’s political awareness amid the harsh realities of a waning Depression era America. Then there's Anita (Jean Rogers), a striving yet optimistic woman on the run from her past, who toughens Joe's romantic assumptions and dreams of a westward journey. Lastly, there's Professor (Raymond Walburn), an out-of-work vaudevillian actor who imparts wisdom and a sense of reality through his lived experiences while proving comic relief in the narrative.

Thrown together by chance, this motley crew undertakes the hardscrabble journey West, facing a series of trials and tribulations that test their mettle, relationships and their individual strength. They deal with the harsh realities of their time, including unemployment, hopelessness, and the poverty encircling the nation in the Depression’s aftermath. These encounters work to demystify Joe's romanticism of the West, replacing his theoretical knowledge of farming with the practical hardships his companions share.

Throughout all these, Marjorie Rambeau shines through with an unforgettable supporting role as Mrs. Meredith, a widowed farm owner who once owned the land that Joe hopes to sow. Filled with regret and poignancy, her character adds a different hue to the American farming life's portrayal.

The film’s title, ‘Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence’, captures the essence of this journey vividly by depicting the grim reality that caps the idyllic American dream of prosperity and happiness. It portrays the raw, humbling experiences that come with truly living and understanding life and challenges the viewer to rethink their ideas about dreams and their lofty expectations.

A realistic portrayal of the human character, the film provides every character, even the seemingly secondary ones, with depth. The narrative is filled with emotional complexities and stark realism, effectively shedding light on the economic desperation and social conditions of the 1930s. The excellent script, hearty performances of the leads, and decent cinematography serve to keep viewers engaged and emotionally invested.

The magic of 'Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence' lies in its balanced approach to storytelling, where hopes and dreams intersect with reality. It narrates the story of ordinary people set against the tough economic backdrop of the times, providing a window into this significant period in American history. Undeniably, this drama film remains a resilient gem of old Hollywood that's definitely worth a watch for fans of classic cinema and those seeking an engaging depiction of historical realities.