Lady from Louisiana [Blu-ray]

Director: Bernard Vorhaus Bernard Vorhaus

Overview

John Wayne goes up against the lottery racket, 1880 Louisiana-style, in this passable time-killer from Republic Pictures. Arriving from New England to look into the Louisiana lottery on behalf of uplifter Blanche Brunot (Helen Westley), attorney John Reynolds (Wayne) falls in love with sultry Julie Mirbeau (Osa Munson), who attempts to persuade him that her father's gaming business is on the up and up. When a New Orleans restaurateur, Gaston (Shimen Ruskin), is found murdered, Reynolds begins to suspect that General Mirbeau's (Henry Stephenson) gang is behind the killing. To meet the attorney halfway, Mirbeau fires his chief henchman, Blackie (Ray Middleton), but is himself killed by one of Blackie's men, Cuffy Brown (Jack Pennick). Reynolds, who has been appointed special city attorney, pays his respect to Julie, but the angry girl accuses him of indirectly causing the death of her father and then flaunts her engagement to Blackie. Said engagement, however, suffers a fatal blow when Julie finds her fiancé in the arms of gambling hall hostess Pearl (Jacqueline Dalya). Taking the stand in court against the racket, Julie's testimony is interrupted when a rainstorm sweeps the area, breaking a levee. While pursuing a fleeing Blackie, Reynolds orders a steamship to block the hole in the levee, a plan that ultimately saves New Orleans. Having survived the potential disaster, Julie leaves the lottery racket behind and agrees to become Mrs. Reynolds.

Product Details

Release Date:	05/28/2013
UPC:	0887090063203
Original Release:	1941
Rating:	NR
Source:	Olive
Presentation:	[B&W]
Language:	English
Time:	1:23:00
Sales rank:	18,373

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

John Wayne	John Reynolds
Ona Munson	Julie Mirbeau
Ray Middleton	Blackburn 'Blackie' Williams
Henry Stephenson	General Anatole Mirbeau
Helen Westley	Mrs. Brunot
Jack Pennick	Cuffy
Dorothy Dandridge	Felice
Shimen Ruskin	Gaston
Jacqueline Dalya	Pearl
Paul Scardon	Judge Wilson
Major James H. McNamara	Sen. Cassidy
James C. Morton	Littlefield
Maurice Costello	Edwards
Stanley Blystone	Actor
Al Bridge	Actor
Lane Chandler	Actor
Osa Massen	Actor
Kid Chissel	Actor
Virginia Farmer	Actor
Karl Hackett	Actor
Howard Hickman	Actor
Bob Kortman	Actor
Ethan Laidlaw	Actor
George Lloyd	Actor
Ted Mapes	Actor
Hugh Prosser	Actor
Frank Jaquet	Actor
Cy Feuer	Composer

Technical Credits

Vera Caspary

Michael Hogan

Guy Endore

Bernard Vorhaus	Producer,Director
Vera Caspary	Screenwriter
Michael Hogan	Screenwriter
Guy Endore	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Long in production, Lady From Louisiana was Republic Pictures' most expensive release to date and every penny spent shows up on the screen. The sets are impressive, the Victorian costumes seemingly authentic to detail, and John Wayne and Ona Munson didn't come cheap, either. Unfortunately, the stars lack chemistry and the story -- concocted by no less than five writers -- is cliché-ridden to the point where anyone who has ever watched a movie can predict the outcome. A climax of near Biblical proportion has buildings collapsing around the ears of their corrupt inhabitants and the villains are literally swept away in a maelstrom of flood-water. Happily, the pure of heart survive, even Miss Munson, whose gambling queen naturally retains her innocence throughout.

All Movie Guide - Hans J. Wollstein