Come and Get It (1936) Plot Summary & Timeline

Spoilers ahead

1. 1

   Barney Glasgow's ruthless ascent

   Barney Glasgow is determined to dominate the Wisconsin logging industry, using ruthless tactics and relentless ambition to rise to the top. He proves that he will stop at nothing to achieve power, even if it requires sacrificing his personal life and ethics. His early methods set the course for years of aggressive exploitation of forests.

   When:Early career, 19th century Wisconsin Where:Wisconsin lumber camps

2. 2

   Break with Lotta Morgan

   Barney ends his relationship with Lotta Morgan, the saloon singer, as he pursues a more advantageous union. The breakup underscores his single-minded focus on power rather than romance. Lotta's departure marks the end of an era in his personal life.

   When:Early career Where:Saloons / town

3. 3

   Marriage to Emma Hewitt for partnership

   Barney marries Emma Louise Hewitt, the daughter of his boss Jed Hewett, in order to secure a business partnership. The union ties his fortunes to the Hewett family and cements his place in the lumber hierarchy. This strategic marriage helps him solidify control over his enterprise.

   When:Early career Where:Hewett estate / company offices

4. 4

   Two decades pass; Richard grows up

   Over more than twenty years, the couple's son Richard grows into a capable, ambitious figure within the family business. He watches the forests be logged as profits rise, but his views begin to clash with his father's methods. The family legacy starts to hinge on differing visions for the land and its future.

   When:Two decades later, late 19th century Where:Family home / logging operations

5. 5

   Richard opposes unsustainable logging

   Richard openly objects to his father's practice of destroying forests without planting new trees. He argues for sustainable forestry and questions the long-term costs of short-term gain. This moral stance foreshadows deepening tensions within the family business.

   When:Two decades later, late 19th century Where:Lumber camps / boardroom

6. 6

   Barney visits Swan Bostrom

   Barney travels to reconnect with his old friend Swan Bostrom, who married Lotta when Barney rejected her. The trip rekindles contact with past relationships and introduces a new dynamic into the story. Swan's household becomes a nexus for the unfolding personal drama.

   When:Two decades later, late 19th century Where:Swan Bostrom's home

7. 7

   Swan's daughter Lotta emerges

   Swan and Lotta have a daughter named Lotta, who bears a striking resemblance to her late mother. The young Lotta carries both the memory of Lotta Morgan and the expectations that come with being the boss's friend's daughter. The resemblance sparks attention from Barney.

   When:Two decades later, late 19th century Where:Swan's household / town

8. 8

   Barney is drawn to Lotta the daughter

   Barney finds himself attracted to the young Lotta, hoping to recapture the affection he abandoned years before. His feelings pull him toward a risky temptation that challenges his sense of duty. The attraction plants the seeds for a dangerous personal dilemma.

   When:Two decades later, late 19th century Where:Swan's residence / local community

9. 9

   Barney offers to finance Lotta's education

   Seeking to win Lotta's favor and secure a foothold in her life, Barney offers to finance her education. The offer shows his continued manipulation and his attempt to shape the future according to his desires. This gesture blurs the line between generosity and control.

   When:Two decades later, late 19th century Where:Swan's household / Lotta's circle

10. 10

    Richard and Lotta meet; romance begins

    Richard meets Lotta and develops a strong interest in her, which Lotta reciprocates. The intergenerational romance threatens family loyalties and complicates the elder Barney's plans for succession. The love interest links the fates of two families in a tangled triangle.

    When:Two decades later, late 19th century Where:Town / community venues

11. 11

    Barney's jealousy surfaces

    Barney becomes jealous and displeased by the budding relationship between Lotta and his son. His protective instinct over the business and family legacy intensifies the conflict. Jealousy undermines his ability to separate affection from ambition.

    When:Two decades later, late 19th century Where:Family home / work sites

12. 12

    Tensions escalate between business and family

    The love triangle and competing visions for land and legacy push the family toward a crisis. Barney's old ambitions collide with his son's reformist ideals and Lotta's own loyalties. The forest, the business, and the relationships all hang in the balance as the drama unfolds.

    When:Two decades later, late 19th century Where:Wisconsin logging community

• BG

  Barney Glasgow

  Played by Edward Arnold

  A ruthless lumberjack foreman determined to become head of the logging industry. He marries Emma Louise to secure a business partnership, ends relationships for strategic gain, and lets ambition override personal connections. His jealousy surfaces when new relationships threaten his control, revealing a calculating and possessive streak.

  • 🪵 Ambition
  • 🗝️ Power
  • 🗡️ Ruthlessness
• EL

  Emma Louise Glasgow

  Played by Mary Nash

  Daughter of Jed Hewitt and wife to Barney Glasgow, she becomes a pivotal figure in the family’s power dynamics. Her alliance with Barney stabilizes the business on the surface, yet she embodies the tension between loyalty to family and personal autonomy. Her role underscores the costs of navigating marriages of convenience in a growing empire.

  • ❤️ Family
  • 🧭 Duty
  • 🌀 Loyalty
• 

  Richard Glasgow

  Played by Joel McCrea

  Barney and Emma Louise’s son who opposes his father’s practice of destroying forests without replanting. He represents a newer generation challenging the old guard’s methods and questioning the environmental and ethical implications of their business.

  • 🧒 Rebellion
  • 🛡️ Responsibility
  • 🌿 Ethics
• LM

  Lotta Morgan / Lotta Bostrom

  Played by Frances Farmer

  Frances Farmer plays both mother and daughter, Lotta Morgan and Lotta Bostrom. The mother’s past relationship with Barney fuels a complicated history, while the daughter Lotta becomes a focal point for a later romance with Richard, creating a look-alike dynamic that echoes through generations.

  • 💘 Love
  • 🎭 Dual identity
• 

  Swan Bostrom

  Played by Walter Brennan

  A friend of Barney who marries Lotta and raises their daughter. Now a widower, he acts as a stabilizing figure in the background, his past relationships and current family ties influencing the choices around inheritance and responsibility.

  • 🤝 Friendship
  • 👨‍👧 Family ties
• 

  Jed Hewitt

  Played by Charles Halton

  Barney’s boss and Emma Louise’s father, a figure of status and authority whose partnership with Barney initially solidifies the family’s position in the industry. His influence underscores the strategic nature of alliances in the timber business.

  • 👔 Status
  • 🧠 Authority

1. 01 🪵

   Ambition

   Barney Glasgow’s climb to power centers on relentless ambition and a desire to control the logging industry. The pursuit of success drives him to make ruthless decisions, including leveraging family ties and marriage for strategic advantage. The theme explores how far someone will go to achieve supremacy and secure a legacy.

2. 02 👪

   Family

   Family loyalties and fractures shape the plot as dynastic goals clash with personal relationships. Emma Louise’s alliance with Barney and Richard’s reactions reveal the complexity of love, duty, and inheritance. The narrative examines how familial bonds can both propel enterprises and complicate moral choices.

3. 03 🌳

   Environment

   The rise of a powerful lumber empire is intimately tied to the exploitation of forests. The characters’ prioritization of profit over preservation prompts reflection on the environmental cost of unchecked expansion. The theme highlights the tension between economic growth and ecological stewardship.

4. 04 💘

   Love and Jealousy

   Romantic entanglements complicate business ambitions. Lotta’s past with Barney and her likeness to her mother, plus the romance between Lotta and Richard, fuel jealousy and strategic decisions. The theme shows how affection can both complicate and undermine power dynamics.