TIMBER QUEEN

Cinemavixion Review

Frank McDonald's "Timber Queen" is a briskly paced 1944 adventure romance that offers a surprisingly engaging blend of wartime sentiment and rugged frontier action. Richard Arlen stars as Russ Evans, a returning WWII pilot who finds himself drawn into the plight of Elaine Graham (Mary Beth Hughes), the widow of a fallen comrade. Her inherited logging company is in dire straits, threatened by a predatory businessman, but a crucial lumber order presents a glimmer of hope. Arlen brings a capable, stoic presence to the role of the ex-pilot, while Hughes effectively portrays the determined widow fighting for her legacy. The film successfully navigates its melodramatic premise with a sense of earnestness and a touch of thrilling aerial sequences, making it a noteworthy, if perhaps under-appreciated, entry from the era.