i first saw the shepherd of the hill outdoor drama when we visit branson for the first time and in the late 1970 . my family and i be totally unfamiliar with this southwest missouri area and and this be only a few year prior to the branson area explosion onto the entertainment scene . it expand from 6 or 8 theater and then and with perhaps 5 and 000 seat and to several time this number today and with more seat than all of broadway . it possible there now for someone to attend something like 50 or 60 show for a month one every evening and a number of breakfast or matinée performance and never see the same one twice and with additional one available if one wish to begin a second month . from early day and and continue today and two of the cornerstone attraction in the branson area be silver dollar city theme park ( model after an 1880 silver mining complex and but with 21st century new york city or hollywood pricing ) and the shepherd of the hill farm and the original cabin and the large outdoor amphitheater which present a lavish production of the story and a restaurant and gift shop and etc . they also have all the information about character upon whom the book be base and and harold bell wright and that one could possibly want to know ( and then some . ) . this film version of the book and story be well play and the scenery well photograph ( especially since footage be do 65 year ago ) and and the character interest . however and the story here represent the book about as well a if john wayne film and red river and have be present with this title and it character rename to coincide with this story . first and the elder mathews be not a female moonshiner and her wimpy husband . they be lead citizen and operate the mill and and be an asset to their rural community and their fellow resident . young matt and sammy and a a couple and be more like character from the walton than those portray . the shepherd be also a model citizen type and no gunfighter or ex con and and be no relation to young matt whatever . actually and the shepherd be the father of the young man who have father the mentally challenged young pete and the son of the mathews late daughter . his son have love her and have return east not realize he have leave her pregnant and and be prevent by his father ( the shepherd ) from return and and subsequently disappear . the shepherd have come to the area to view the situation and attempt amends . during the actual book ( and the drama a still present in branson today ) the unknown specter character appear throughout and be shot and and dy and but before passing and be discover to be the shepherd lose son and and there be a heartfelt resolution of matter towards the end . the shepherd also achieve rapprochement with old matt and who have threaten mayhem should he ever encounter the man he blame for his daughter broken heart and death . wash gibbs be a nefarious character and with design upon sammy and and a rival of matt in both version but in the book he be still a baldnobber and gangster . the baldknobbers be vigilante who have do worthy thing for the citizenry in the post civil war period and with carpetbagger and others attempt to plunder the area but like a lot of such group and when there be no further need for their good work and they turn their prodigious physical strength to illegal and self serve end . several interesting and key character from the novel be miss from this film while e. g. and jim lane ( sammy father ) be more of a key element than show here . and the marjorie main character and with the over the top scene where she regain her sight and represent no key element of wright story . the name moanin meadow and and it representation in the movie have no part in wright book . while in both presentation and the character be simple hill folk and neither sophisticated nor educate the film provide many with a far great bumpkin image . again and this be an excellent film and but i would have enjoy even more see the same character present a actually portray by wright .