Come and Get It (1936) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A ruthless lumberman sacrifices love for power, only to confront the emotional consequences when the past reappears through a new generation.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

Love Against Ambition

Barney works as a ruthless foreman while pursuing control of the logging industry. His ambition leads him to abandon Lotta Morgan and choose a marriage that advances his business prospects.

Key Events

• Barney Leads Lumberjacks — Barney works as a ruthless lumberjack foreman in nineteenth-century Wisconsin. Characters: Barney Glasgow Location: Wisconsin logging territory
• Ambition for Industry Leadership — Barney is determined to become the head of the logging industry. Characters: Barney Glasgow Location: Wisconsin logging territory
• Barney Loves Lotta — Barney is involved with Lotta Morgan, a saloon singer. Characters: Barney Glasgow, Lotta Morgan / Lotta Bostrom Location: A saloon
• Business Replaces Romance — Barney ends his relationship with Lotta to pursue business advancement. Characters: Barney Glasgow, Lotta Morgan / Lotta Bostrom Location: A Wisconsin settlement
• Marriage for Partnership — Barney marries his employer's daughter to secure a business partnership. Characters: Barney Glasgow Location: A Wisconsin logging community

The Price of Success

Barney secures a business partnership and rises to wealth over the following decades. His success is connected to logging practices that destroy forests without replacement.

Key Events

• Barney Enters Ownership — The marriage helps Barney establish himself within the logging business. Characters: Barney Glasgow Location: The logging business
• Decades Bring Wealth — More than two decades later, Barney is wealthy and successful. Characters: Barney Glasgow Location: The logging industry
• Forests Face Exhaustion — Barney's logging practices continue destroying forests without replanting them. Characters: Barney Glasgow Location: Wisconsin forests

A Conflict Over Forests

A younger generation challenges Barney's destructive approach to forestry. This disagreement exposes the limits of Barney's old values and authority.

Key Events

• A Younger Generation Objects — Barney's son strongly objects to the destruction of forests without new planting. Characters: Barney Glasgow Location: The logging business
• Barney Visits Swan — Barney visits Swan, his old friend, after many years. Characters: Barney Glasgow, Swan Bostrom Location: Swan's rural residence

The Past Returns

Barney visits his old friend Swan, now a widower raising a daughter named Lotta. The daughter's resemblance to her mother revives Barney's abandoned emotions.

Key Events

• Swan's Lost Marriage — Swan is now a widower after marrying the Lotta rejected by Barney. Characters: Swan Bostrom, Lotta Morgan / Lotta Bostrom Location: Swan's rural residence
• Swan Raises His Daughter — Swan raises a daughter named Lotta as a widower. Characters: Swan Bostrom, Lotta Morgan / Lotta Bostrom Location: Swan's rural residence
• The Daughter Resembles Her Mother — The younger Lotta bears a striking resemblance to her mother. Characters: Barney Glasgow, Swan Bostrom, Lotta Morgan / Lotta Bostrom Location: Swan's rural residence
• Old Feelings Resurface — Barney becomes attracted to the younger Lotta, hoping to recapture abandoned love. Characters: Barney Glasgow, Lotta Morgan / Lotta Bostrom Location: Swan's rural residence
• Education Offer — Barney offers to finance Lotta's education. Characters: Barney Glasgow, Lotta Morgan / Lotta Bostrom Location: Swan's rural residence

Jealousy Reignited

Barney offers to finance Lotta's education and becomes attracted to her. When a younger man develops a mutual interest in Lotta, Barney responds with jealousy and displeasure.

Key Events

• A New Courtship Begins — Barney's interest in the younger Lotta creates an emotionally charged new courtship. Characters: Lotta Morgan / Lotta Bostrom Location: The local community
• The Younger Man Meets Lotta — Barney's son meets Lotta and takes a strong interest in her. Characters: Lotta Morgan / Lotta Bostrom Location: The local community
• Lotta Returns His Interest — The younger Lotta reciprocates the young man's strong romantic interest. Characters: Lotta Morgan / Lotta Bostrom Location: The local community
• Barney Becomes Jealous — Barney reacts with jealousy when his son develops a mutual attraction to Lotta. Characters: Barney Glasgow, Lotta Morgan / Lotta Bostrom Location: The local community
• The Romantic Conflict Tightens — Barney's unresolved past and present jealousy destabilize Swan's family circle. Characters: Barney Glasgow, Lotta Morgan / Lotta Bostrom, Swan Bostrom Location: Swan's household and the logging community

Story Breakdown

• Barney's Ambition — Barney seeks dominance in the logging industry through relentless work and calculated personal decisions.
  • Foreman Rises — Barney establishes himself as a ruthless lumberjack foreman in nineteenth-century Wisconsin.
  • Industry Leadership — He aims to become the head of the logging industry.
• Abandoned Romance — Barney gives up his relationship with Lotta Morgan when love conflicts with his ambitions.
  • Saloon Singer — Lotta Morgan is introduced as the woman involved with Barney.
  • Love Rejected — Barney ends the relationship to pursue business advancement.
• Business Marriage — Barney uses marriage to secure a partnership and strengthen his position in the logging business.
  • Strategic Marriage — He marries his employer's daughter for business reasons.
  • Partnership Secured — The marriage helps him obtain a partnership in the logging enterprise.
• Forest Conflict — Barney's profitable logging methods clash with a younger generation's objection to forest destruction.
  • Trees Destroyed — Barney's logging practices remove forests without planting new trees.
  • Generational Objection — Barney's son strongly challenges this approach to the environment.
• Swan's Household — Barney's visit to his old friend reveals the family created after Barney rejected Lotta.
  • Widower's Burden — Swan is a widower who raises his daughter alone.
  • Daughter Resembles Mother — The younger Lotta bears a striking resemblance to Lotta Morgan.
• Jealousy Reignited — Barney's attempt to reconnect emotionally becomes a conflict when Lotta reciprocates a younger man's interest.
  • Education Offer — Barney offers to finance Lotta's education.
  • Mutual Attraction — Lotta and the younger man develop a reciprocated interest.
  • Barney's Jealousy — Barney becomes jealous and displeased at their relationship.

Directed by

William Wyler, Howard Hawks

Key Cast

• Edward Arnold — Barney Glasgow
• Joel McCrea — Richard Glasgow
• Frances Farmer — Lotta Morgan / Lotta Bostrom
• Walter Brennan — Swan Bostrom
• Mady Christians — Karie Linbeck