Summary
In a poignant subversion of the American frontier myth, Colonel Wright, a man whose character was forged in the crucible of the untamed West, attempts to transplant his rugged lineage into the manicured gardens of Eastern aristocracy. Accompanied by his stalwart foreman, Curley, and his daughter, Bonnie Bell—the literal and figurative blossom of his life—Wright seeks to exchange his cattle empire for the cultural capital of city life. However, this migration triggers a volatile chemical reaction when they settle adjacent to the Wisners, a family whose social standing is as rigid as the Colonel's sense of honor. The narrative pivot occurs when Bonnie Bell encounters Jimmy Wisner; through a comedy of class-based errors, she perceives him not as the scion of wealth, but as a humble gardener. This misunderstanding serves as a scathing yet whimsical critique of social stratification, as the burgeoning romance flourishes beneath the radar of a vitriolic feud between the two patriarchs. The inevitable elopement acts as the grand catharsis, stripping away the veneers of identity and forcing a reconciliation that suggests the heart’s compass is truer than the maps of social hierarchy.
Synopsis
Wealthy cattleman Colonel Wright moves east with his foreman, Curley, and his daughter, Bonnie Bell, to give her the benefits of education and city living. They take up residence next to the Wisners, a prominent society family; and Bonnie Bell falls in love with Jimmy Wisner, whom she believes to be the gardener. Colonel Wright not only opposes Bonnie Bell's match with a gardener--he also carries on a feud with Mr. Wisner. Jimmy and Bonnie Bell elope, Jimmy reveals his identity, and the couple is warmly received by both fathers.
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