Lady from Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Lady from Louisiana is a 1941
disaster film
starring John Wayne
. It was produced and directed by Bernard Vorhaus
for Republic Pictures
.
lawyer John Reynolds (Wayne) and Southern Belle
Julie Mirbeau (Ona Munson
) meet and fall in love on a riverboat
going to New Orleans in the Gay Nineties
. Upon arrival they are met by Julie's father (Henry Stephenson
) who runs the popular Louisiana State Lottery Company
and Reynold's Aunt Blanche (Helen Westley
) who is a key figure in the anti-Lottery forces hoping Wayne as State's Attorney
will end the Lottery.
Correctly gauging the situation as "playing Romeo and Juliet
", Wayne is invited to the Mirbeau mansion where Julie and her father explain that not only are the people of New Orleans fun loving and like gambling such as the Lottery
, but the Lottery funds many charitable institutions such as hospitals and levee
s for the river.
Unknown to General Mirbeau is his assistant Blackie's (Ray Middleton
) protection racket
s and murders of lottery winners through his army of thugs led by Cuffy Brown (Jack Pennick
). The Lottery forces also have information sources in the State's Attorney's office that reveals every move Wayne has planned to raid illegal activities as well as corrupting judges and other officials through their brothel
s.
The battle between the two forces esclates leading into a climax of lightning striking and destroying a courthouse where a trial is going on and a break in the levees during torrential rains that flood the city.
spared no expense in making the film, with large numbers of costumed extras and recreations of Mardi Gras
. The studio's high standard of action scenes and special effects miniatures come to the fore in the fight scenes and flood climax.
The film mixes the romance and action with a comedic touch, with Wayne performing a light, Walking Tall
type scenario.
A 1941 Time magazine review noted the similarities between Wayne's Thomas E. Dewey type character and Huey Long
.
1941 in film
The year 1941 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.-Top grossing films :-Academy Awards:...
disaster film
Disaster film
A disaster film is a film genre that has an impending or ongoing disaster as its subject...
starring John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
. It was produced and directed by Bernard Vorhaus
Bernard Vorhaus
Bernard Vorhaus was an American film director born in New York City.The Harvard University graduate, in addition to directing thirty-two films, was also the mentor to future film director David Lean, some of whose work as a film editor early in his career was on Vorhaus pictures...
for Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
.
Plot
YankeeYankee
The term Yankee has several interrelated and often pejorative meanings, usually referring to people originating in the northeastern United States, or still more narrowly New England, where application of the term is largely restricted to descendants of the English settlers of the region.The...
lawyer John Reynolds (Wayne) and Southern Belle
Southern belle
A southern belle is an archetype for a young woman of the American Old South's upper class....
Julie Mirbeau (Ona Munson
Ona Munson
Ona Munson was an American actress perhaps best known for her portrayal of prostitute Belle Watling in Gone with the Wind .- Career :...
) meet and fall in love on a riverboat
Riverboat
A riverboat is a ship built boat designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury units constructed for entertainment enterprises, such...
going to New Orleans in the Gay Nineties
Gay Nineties
Gay Nineties is an American nostalgic term that refers to the decade of the 1890s. It is known in the UK as the Naughty Nineties, and refers there to the decade of supposedly decadent art by Aubrey Beardsley, the witty plays and trial of Oscar Wilde, society scandals and the beginning of the...
. Upon arrival they are met by Julie's father (Henry Stephenson
Henry Stephenson
Henry Stephenson , sometimes credited as Harry Stephenson, was a British character actor....
) who runs the popular Louisiana State Lottery Company
Louisiana State Lottery Company
The Louisiana State Lottery Company was a private corporation that in the mid-19th century ran the Louisiana lottery. It was for a time the only legal lottery in the United States, and for much of that time had a very foul reputation as a swindle of the state and citizens and a repository of...
and Reynold's Aunt Blanche (Helen Westley
Helen Westley
Helen Westley was an American character actress.-Career:Born as Henrietta Remsen Meserole Manney, Helen Westley was a member of the original board of the Theatre Guild, and appeared in many of their productions, among them Peer Gynt, and some of their productions of plays by George Bernard...
) who is a key figure in the anti-Lottery forces hoping Wayne as State's Attorney
State's Attorney
In the United States, the State's Attorney is, most commonly, an elected official who represents the State in criminal prosecutions and is often the chief law enforcement officer of their respective county, circuit...
will end the Lottery.
Correctly gauging the situation as "playing Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
", Wayne is invited to the Mirbeau mansion where Julie and her father explain that not only are the people of New Orleans fun loving and like gambling such as the Lottery
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
, but the Lottery funds many charitable institutions such as hospitals and levee
Levee
A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...
s for the river.
Unknown to General Mirbeau is his assistant Blackie's (Ray Middleton
Ray Middleton
Raymond Earl Middleton, Jr. , known and billed as Ray Middleton, was an American character actor.Born in Chicago, Illinois, Middleton was the first actor to play Superman in public, which he did on July 3, 1940, during the 1939 New York World's Fair's "Superman Day"...
) protection racket
Protection racket
A protection racket is an extortion scheme whereby a criminal group or individual coerces a victim to pay money, supposedly for protection services against violence or property damage. Racketeers coerce reticent potential victims into buying "protection" by demonstrating what will happen if they...
s and murders of lottery winners through his army of thugs led by Cuffy Brown (Jack Pennick
Jack Pennick
Jack Pennick was an American film actor. After working as a gold miner as a young man, he appeared in over 140 films between 1926 and 1962. Pennick was a leading member of the informal John Ford Stock Company, appearing in dozens of the director's films...
). The Lottery forces also have information sources in the State's Attorney's office that reveals every move Wayne has planned to raid illegal activities as well as corrupting judges and other officials through their brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
s.
The battle between the two forces esclates leading into a climax of lightning striking and destroying a courthouse where a trial is going on and a break in the levees during torrential rains that flood the city.
Production
Republic PicturesRepublic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
spared no expense in making the film, with large numbers of costumed extras and recreations of Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras
The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
. The studio's high standard of action scenes and special effects miniatures come to the fore in the fight scenes and flood climax.
The film mixes the romance and action with a comedic touch, with Wayne performing a light, Walking Tall
Walking Tall
Walking Tall is a 1973 semi-biopic of Sheriff Buford Pusser, a former professional wrestler-turned-lawman in McNairy County, Tennessee. It starred Joe Don Baker as Pusser...
type scenario.
A 1941 Time magazine review noted the similarities between Wayne's Thomas E. Dewey type character and Huey Long
Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
.
Cast
- John WayneJohn WayneMarion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
- John Reynolds - Ona MunsonOna MunsonOna Munson was an American actress perhaps best known for her portrayal of prostitute Belle Watling in Gone with the Wind .- Career :...
- Julie Mirbeau - Ray MiddletonRay MiddletonRaymond Earl Middleton, Jr. , known and billed as Ray Middleton, was an American character actor.Born in Chicago, Illinois, Middleton was the first actor to play Superman in public, which he did on July 3, 1940, during the 1939 New York World's Fair's "Superman Day"...
- Blackburn 'Blackie' Williams - Henry StephensonHenry StephensonHenry Stephenson , sometimes credited as Harry Stephenson, was a British character actor....
- General Anatole Mirbeau - Helen WestleyHelen WestleyHelen Westley was an American character actress.-Career:Born as Henrietta Remsen Meserole Manney, Helen Westley was a member of the original board of the Theatre Guild, and appeared in many of their productions, among them Peer Gynt, and some of their productions of plays by George Bernard...
- Blanche Brunot - Jack PennickJack PennickJack Pennick was an American film actor. After working as a gold miner as a young man, he appeared in over 140 films between 1926 and 1962. Pennick was a leading member of the informal John Ford Stock Company, appearing in dozens of the director's films...
- Cuffy Brown - Dorothy DandridgeDorothy DandridgeDorothy Jean Dandridge was an American actress and popular singer, and was the first African-American to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress...
- Felice - Shimen Ruskin - Gaston
- Jacqueline Dalya - Pearl
- Paul ScardonPaul ScardonPaul Scardon was an actor, a producer, and a director on both Australian and New York stages. He directed Blanche Sweet in Unwilling Husband, Bessie Barriscale in some of her most successful productions, and most of the melodramas which starred his wife, actress Betty Blythe...
- Judge Wilson - Major James H. McNamara - Senator Cassidy
- James C. Morton - Littlefield
- Maurice CostelloMaurice CostelloMaurice Costello was a prominent vaudeville actor of the late 1890s and early 1900s, who later played a principal role in early American films, as both a leading man, supporting player and a director....
- Edwards - Mantan MorelandMantan MorelandMantan Moreland was an American actor and comedian most popular in the 1930s and 1940s.-Career:Born in Monroe, Louisiana, Moreland began acting by the time he was an adolescent, reportedly running away to join the circus...
- Servant