Not Rated
1941    1h 38mWestern, Drama
6.963%6.6
Watch on Apple TV
On Apple TV
Buy $14.99Ad
Young Matt Matthews, an Ozark Mountains moonshiner, hates the father he has never seen, who apparently deserted his mother and left her to die. His obsession contributes to the hatred rampant in the mountains. However, the arrival of a stranger, Daniel Howitt, begins to positively affect the mountain people, who learn to shed their hatred under his gentle influence. Still, Matt does not quite trust Howitt.
Directed by Henry Hathaway
  • John WayneYoung Matt Matthews
  • Betty FieldSammy Lane
  • Harry CareyDaniel Howitt
  • Beulah BondiAunt Mollie Matthews
  • James BartonOld Matt Matthews
  • Samuel S. HindsAndy Beeler
  • Marjorie MainGranny Becky
  • Ward BondWash Gibbs
  • Marc LawrencePete Matthews
  • John QualenCoot Royal
  • Fuzzy KnightMr. Palestrom
  • Tom FaddenJim Lane
  • Olin HowlandCorky
  • Dorothy AdamsElvy
  • Virita CampbellBaby
  • Fern EmmettMrs. Palestrom
  • Charles MiddletonBlacksmith (uncredited)
  • Selmer JacksonDoctor (uncredited)
  • Henry HathawayDirector
  • Harold Bell WrightNovel
  • Mister ArnJuly 15, 2025
    “The Shepherd of the Hills”, directed by Henry Hathaway, features John Wayne as a brooding young man driven by the need to kill the father who abandoned him. Rather than relying on shootouts or action, the film leans into emotional undercurrents and slow-burn revelations. It’s more about inner reckoning than dramatic climax, and while it unfolds at a measured pace, it builds a quiet power. This isn’t a film that grabs you, it settles in gently, rewarding patience with unexpected depth.

The Shepherd of the Hills Trivia