The Winning of Barbara Worth (1926)

 Henry King's "The Winning of Barbara Worth"


Adapted from Harold Bell Wright's 1911 bestselling by the same name, "The Winning of Barbara Worth" was a starring vehicle for lead actors Vilma Banky and Ronald Coleman. However, one particular name from the film would go on to higher reaches of stardom: Gary Cooper. Samual Goldwyn, the producer of the film, wanted the film to be on a grand scale, given the climatic flood sequence. To accomplish this feat, he hired Henry King, who was well-known for making stories from the American countryside. 

The story takes place at the turn of the 20th century and focuses on a love triangle. The love triangle, however, is only symbolic of the greater drama taking place. This drama centers on engineers trying to divert the Colorado river so that the California desert can be a utopia for domestic life. The problem comes from a wealthy business owner who refuses to heed the advice of his engineers, who tell him he must spend additional funds to reinforce the river so it doesn't flood the land. Of course, the engineers end up being right and the land becomes flooded. 

The film proved to be a huge hit. King continued to build upon his resume. However, star Gary Cooper would go on to have massive success both in silent and sound cinema.



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