Lady from Louisiana

Lady from Louisiana
Lady from Louisiana
	Film poster
Directed by	Bernard Vorhaus
Screenplay by	Vera Caspary; Michael Hogan; Guy Endore
Story by	Edward James; Francis Edward Faragoh
Produced by	Bernard Vorhaus
Starring	John Wayne; Ona Munson
Cinematography	Jack A. Marta
Edited by	Edward Mann
Production; company	Republic Pictures
Distributed by	Republic Pictures
Release date	April 22, 1941;
Running time	83 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Lady from Louisiana is a 1941 American Western film starring John Wayne and Ona Munson. It was produced and directed by Bernard Vorhaus.

Plot[]

Yankee lawyer John Reynolds and Southern Belle Julie Mirbeau 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 who runs the popular Louisiana State Lottery Company and Reynold's Aunt Blanche who is a key figure in the anti-lottery forces hoping Reynolds, as State's Attorney, will end the lottery.

Reynolds is invited to the Mirbeau mansion, where Julie and her father explain that not only are the people of New Orleans fun loving gamblers, but the lottery funds many charitable institutions such as hospitals and levees for the river.

Unknown to General Mirbeau is his assistant Blackie's protection rackets and murders of lottery winners through his army of thugs led by Cuffy Brown. The lottery forces also have information sources in the State's Attorney's office that reveals every move Reynolds has planned to raid illegal activities as well as corrupting judges and other officials through their brothels.

The battle between the two forces escalates, leading to 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.

Cast[]

John Wayne as John Reynolds
Ona Munson as Julie Mirbeau
Ray Middleton as Blackburn "Blackie" Williams
Henry Stephenson as General Anatole Mirbeau
Helen Westley as Blanche Brunot
Jack Pennick as Cuffy Brown
Dorothy Dandridge as Felice
Shimen Ruskin as Gaston
Jacqueline Dalya as Pearl
Paul Scardon as Judge Wilson
James H. McNamara as Senator Cassidy (as Major James H. McNamara)
James C. Morton as Littlefield
Maurice Costello as Edwards

Production[]

Republic Pictures 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.^[1]

References[]

^ "Cinema, Also Showing May 26, 1941". TIME.com. May 26, 1941. Archived from the original on June 24, 2010. Retrieved December 20, 2015.

External links[]

Lady from Louisiana at IMDb
Lady from Louisiana at AllMovie
Lady from Louisiana at the TCM Movie Database
Lady from Louisiana at the American Film Institute Catalog

[1] "Cinema, Also Showing May 26, 1941". TIME.com. May 26, 1941. Archived from the original on June 24, 2010. Retrieved December 20, 2015.

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