The Story of Mr Hobbs (1947)

Crad Hobbs a Virginia waterman is depressed over the decline in the shellfish trade and the gradual erosion of his former home a barrier island off Virginias Eastern Shore Worse his beautiful daughter and only child is engaged to a returning World War II veteran who forsakes the oystering trade to take a job with the local newspaper The cub reporters first job is interview a New York banker and former resident who has secretly come to the Eastern Shore to provide a loan for a beleaguered LatinAmerican president whose country is battling communist insurgents Hobbs blames the banker for his home islands destruction he believes if the banker had approved a loan for a system of breakwaters the erosion and resulting loss of fishing habitat could have been prevented