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Swamp Water

Play trailer Poster for Swamp Water 1941 1h 30m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews 70% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Ben (Dana Andrews), a hunter, ventures into the dangerous Okefenokee Swamp despite protests from his father, Thursday (Walter Huston). There, he's captured and held prisoner by Tom Keefer (Walter Brennan) a fugitive who has been hiding in the swamp. Tom allows Ben to leave on the condition that he split his hunting profits with Tom's daughter, Julie (Anne Baxter), who lives in town. Ben agrees, and, after a fight with his father, moves to a home closer to Julie and gradually falls for her.

Critics Reviews

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Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand 08/09/2022
Renoir’s generosity of character and complexity of community and family relationships, and his location photography gives the backwoods melodrama a dignity and an elevated, stylized theatricality, like a Greek tragedy relocated to the American south. Go to Full Review Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid 01/18/2019
4/4
[Renoir's] first American film... almost feels like the work of someone else, although it still contains a few of its maker's signature themes, and it's an excellent entertainment in any regard. Go to Full Review Walter Chaw Film Freak Central 08/30/2012
3/4
ean Renoir's Swamp Water stands out as an example of how an artist's genius can assert itself even when his product has been taken away from him, Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 04/05/2012
B
If Renoir was left alone from Zanuck's heavy hand, this melodrama would have perhaps turned out to be an American classic. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Blobbo X @Blobbo 07/26/2023 Good cast includes Walter Brennan, John Huston's father and Albert Einstein's granddaughter. Passes time nicely. See more steve d 01/30/2023 Kind of a mixed bag, but works surprisingly well. See more 02/09/2020 First American film by Jean Renoir. Shot on location. Surreal See more 04/26/2015 This is Jean Renoir's first American film, apparently famed producer Zanuck interfered a lot so Renoir didn't have full control, and you can tell. The acting is spotty, thought it does feature some big names like Dana Andrews "Laura" and Walter Huston. There are occasional flourishes in the direction and cinematography. Not a great film, but well worth watch for lovers of classic cinema. See more 09/13/2014 An Impressive and Underseen Backwoods Film Noir... Gator-ate or Cotton-mouth bit--people, gators, cottonmouths, and some quick sand... A Heart Rendering and Entertaining Old Classic!! See more 06/21/2013 Jean Renoir's Swamp Water stands out as an example of how an artist's genius can assert itself even when his product has been taken away from him, See more Read all reviews
Swamp Water

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Cast & Crew

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Jean Renoir

Director

Walter Brennan

Tom Keefer

Dana Andrews

Ben

Walter Huston

Thursday Ragan

Anne Baxter

Julie

Virginia Gilmore

Mabel MacKenzie
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Swamp Water

Swamp Water (1941) Swamp Water (1941) Swamp Water (1941) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Ben (Dana Andrews), a hunter, ventures into the dangerous Okefenokee Swamp despite protests from his father, Thursday (Walter Huston). There, he's captured and held prisoner by Tom Keefer (Walter Brennan) a fugitive who has been hiding in the swamp. Tom allows Ben to leave on the condition that he split his hunting profits with Tom's daughter, Julie (Anne Baxter), who lives in town. Ben agrees, and, after a fight with his father, moves to a home closer to Julie and gradually falls for her.
Director
Jean Renoir
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
Twentieth Century Fox
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 23, 1941, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 1, 2016
Runtime
1h 30m