Driftwood

The young Natalie Wood stars as the orphaned Jenny Hollingsworth in a film that reflects Allan Dwan's beliefs about the values of rural life. After the death of Jenny's grandfather, a minister, the sheriff of Bullfrog Springs, Nevada, asks the Dr. Steve Webster (Dean Jagger) a researcher who found the girl, to look after her until he can leave her with another minister. When that proves impossible, Steve leaves her with his girlfriend Susan Moore (Ruth Warrick). Despite his love for Susan, Steve tells her he'll be leaving for the Field Institute in San Francisco, once he receives his letter of acceptance. When the letter arrives, Jenny hides it, knowing that Steve will leave. After Jenny's dog has attacked a boy who was provoking Jenny, the sheriff comes to seize him, but Jenny frees the dog, and is bitten by a tick that it was carrying. She soon contracts Rocky Mountain spotted fever, as do other children in the town. She shows Steve a card that she had found near a plane crash that the dog had emerged from, which make it clear, he was being used for research on the disease. Wholesome family entertainment with outstanding photograpy from celebrated cinematographer John Alton.