Mr. Skitch 1933

Foreclosure and departure from Flat River

During the Great Depression, Ira Skitch's home is foreclosed. With his wife Maddie, Emily, three younger children, and six dogs, the family loads into a beat-up jalopy and decides to drive toward Los Angeles to educate their kids. They leave Flat River, Missouri, with little money but a big dream for a fresh start.

Yellowstone rescue and Emily's disguise

In Yellowstone National Park, Emily is saved from drowning by Harvey Denby. Ashamed of their poverty, she pretends to be wealthier than she is, concealing the family's true finances as the trip continues. The encounter seeds a complicated attraction that follows them on the road.

Harvey Denby's pursuit along the road

Denby hails from a wealthy family and is poised to enter West Point, but he becomes smitten with Emily. He begins to shadow the Skitch family from one auto camp to another, keeping close as the journey unfolds. His interest turns the road trip into a powder keg of hidden motives.

Ira befriends Sam Cohen

Ira befriends Sam Cohen, a Yiddish ex-New Yorker who now travels the USA in a luxury motor home after retirement for health. Cohen’s presence adds a counterpoint to Ira’s struggle with poverty, and his companionship spices up the long road ahead.

Bears invade the campsite

Maddie is startled when two bears invade their campsite and devour their lunch. The animals later turn out to be tame mascots, but Maddie remains unconvinced about wildlife and safety on the road. The incident underscores the tension between danger and novelty on the trip.

Win at Lake Tahoe and the subsequent loss

At Lake Tahoe, Ira rides along with a friendly high-roller, Cliff Merriweather, and wins $3,000 in a legal casino. He returns the next night and loses it all, illustrating how luck can swing dramatically on a cross-country trip. The money becomes a passing crest in their long voyage.

Denby funds a luxury auto camp in Flat River

Denby uses his family wealth to finance a luxury auto camp in Flat River and appoints Ira as its manager. He tells Ira that the money for the camp came from Cohen, weaving a web of deception to keep the lie alive. The move roots Denby's influence in the family’s future plans.

Ira discovers the deception

Ira realizes that the wealth behind the camp isn’t Cohen’s, but he does not confront Denby. With Harvey now his son-in-law, Ira chooses to table objections and let the plan proceed. The revelation sits heavy, shaping his future choices on the road.

Emily becomes Harvey Denby's wife

Emily’s relationship with Harvey Denby deepens and culminates in marriage, making Denby Ira’s son-in-law. The marriage solidifies Denby’s position within the family and reinforces the deception’s hold on their plans.

The road trip as education

Throughout the journey, the family uses the trip to educate the children about the realities of wealth and poverty, while the auto-camp venture becomes a central element of their itinerant life. They encounter various camps and towns, learning as they travel.

Ira's conflicted loyalty

Despite catching onto Denby’s deception, Ira’s loyalty to his son-in-law status and to the family keeps him from taking action. The balance of power between Ira and Harvey becomes a quiet but defining dynamic as the trip progresses.