Tall Timbers is a 1937 action melodrama set in the timber industry directed by Ken G. Hall and starring Frank Leighton and Shirley Ann Richards.
Synopsis
The film opens at Palm Beach, where life guard Jim Thornton, a former jackeroo, has just graduated from forestry school and is about to look for work in the timber industry. He saves a young woman, Joan Burbridge, from drowning. She is at the beach with Charles Blake, who wants to marry Joan and works for Joan's adopted father Stephen, a timber merchant.
Blake is secretly plotting with a treacherous businessman, Ludwig Rich, to take over Burbridge's company. They enlist one of Burbridge's employees, the foreman Darley, to help in their schemes.
Thornton asks Blake for a job but is turned down. Thornton approaches Stephen Burbridge, who gives him a job as ranger on one of his properties, Boundary Ridge. Burbirdge explains that Joan is his adopted daughter; her biological father was Lloyd, who is now dead.
Burbridge is in business competition with Rich. They make an agreement that if Burbridge cannot supply a million feet of timber in a specified time, he will sell his business to Rich. Rich plans to use Darley to help him in his plans. Blake admits he is secretly seeing Darley's sister Claire.
Thornton arrives at Boundary Ridge, where he befriends the workers, particularly Scotty, who tells him the history of the property, including the disappearance of Burbridge's wife when she was pregnant.
Darley plots sabotage of Burbridge's outfit with Blake in exchange for £200. Thornton impresses Burbridge with his skill, resulting in the owner replacing Darley with the newcomer. Thornley comes up with the idea of a timber drive to help win the competition against Rich.
Claire tells Joan she has been sleeping with Blake. Joan tricks Blake into admitting this is true by pretending to be Claire.
Scotty is driving a train which almost crashes around a wrecked bridge, but stops in time. An agitator tries to persuade Burbirdge's men to go to work for the Timber Trust but Thornton punches him out and inspires the men by talking about the timber drive. The men agree to follow Thornton, who awards them a ten percent bonus.
Burbridge faces various acts of sabotage and Thornton suggests it is Darley but cannot get proof. Blake refuses to marry Claire. When Darley gets upset, Blake says if he says anything, Blake will tell Burbridge about Darley's criminal activities. Claire tells her brother she has fallen pregnant.
Thorton and Joan get caught in a cottage in the rain. Blake visits and insults them and is kicked out. Joan and Thornton kiss.
Thorton reveals that he is Burbridge's long lost son, explaining his mother raised him in New Zealand, and has since passed. Thornton delayed revealing his identity until he could get the measure of what sort of man Burbridge was and says he admires his father. Joan tells Burbridge that she and Thorton are getting married.
Darley tells Blake his sister is pregnant. Blake refuses to marry Claire, wanting to pay her off, but Darley refuses. Darley shoots Blake dead.
The timber drive takes place. Joan and Thornton are almost trapped amongst the falling timber trees. The trees kill Darley, but Joan and Thornton manage to survive. Joan and Thornton get married.
Cast
Frank Leighton as Jim Thorton
Shirley Ann Richards as Joan Burbridge
Frank Harvey as Darley
Campbell Copelin as Charles Blake
Harvey Adams as Stephen Burbridge
Aileen Britton as Claire Darley
Ron Whelan as Ludwig Rich
Joe Valli as Scotty
George Lloyd as Bill
Letty Craydon as Rosanna
W. Lane-Bayliff as Gavan
Peter Dunstan as Robbie
Production
Cinesound Productions had intended to make a film of the timber industry since its formation in 1932. In 1935 they announced they were going to make a big screen adaptation of the William Hatfield story Big Timber as their next film after Thoroughbred (1936), starring an imported Hollywood actor. However Cinesound made Orphans of the Wilderness and It Isn't Done instead.