Our Vines Have Tender Grapes

The film takes place in Fuller Junction, a small rural town in Wisconsin surrounded by farmland. It is a close-knit, working-class community characterized by barns, fields, and local schools that reflect the rhythms of early 20th-century rural American life.

The movie is set in the early 20th century, when farming life dictated daily routines and priorities in rural Wisconsin. The period emphasizes the close relationship between education, religion, and the rural economy.

The movie explores three interconnected themes: family bonds and resilience in the face of hardship, the power of community and mutual aid in rural life, and the Norwegian immigrant experience as families seek belonging in America while preserving their heritage.

Martinius Jacobson is the patriarch of the Jacobson family, portrayed by Edward G. Robinson as a steady, hard-working immigrant farmer. He takes pride in his craft and dreams of building a new barn, balancing his gentle, loving nature as a husband and father with a strong work ethic.

Selma Jacobson is a seven-year-old girl whose bright, generous spirit lights up her family and the town. She embodies compassion by giving up her calf to help a neighbor, representing the everyday kindness and resilience that sustains a rural community.

Bruna Jacobson is the devoted wife of Martinius and mother figure to Selma, played by Agnes Moorehead. She shares the burden of farm life with quiet strength, offering resilience and practical care. Her warmth anchors the family through difficult times.

The Jacobsons' Norwegian heritage colors their routines, values, and aspirations as they build a life in rural Wisconsin. The film shows the challenges and pride of adapting to American life while maintaining old-country traditions, particularly through education, work, and family honor.

Viola Johnson is the newly arrived schoolmarm whose initially stern views on country life clash with her neighbors' perspective. Her character embodies the tension between tradition and progress in rural settings, and her eventual reconsideration shows how education and empathy can heal community tensions.

Bjorn Bjornson is a proud, self-reliant farmer who becomes a catalyst for community generosity when lightning destroys his uninsured barn. His hardship reveals how rural ties can buoy even the proudest individuals, demonstrating the film's theme of mutual aid.

Life in Fuller Junction revolves around farming, community events, local schools, and church life. The close-knit town rallies around neighbors in need, sharing resources, rebuilding after tragedy, and lending support, demonstrating how collective care softens individual hardships.

Arnold Hanson is Selma's playful seven-year-old cousin and neighbor, portrayed by Jackie 'Butch' Jenkins. His interactions with Selma add warmth and childhood mischief to the story, reflecting the light-hearted side of rural life alongside the more serious themes.