The Flame of New Orleans (1941)In old New Orleans, a beautiful adventuress juggles the attentions of a rich banker and a dashing sea captain. Director:René ClairWriter:Norman Krasna |
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The Flame of New Orleans (1941)In old New Orleans, a beautiful adventuress juggles the attentions of a rich banker and a dashing sea captain. Director:René ClairWriter:Norman Krasna |
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Marlene Dietrich | ... |
Countess Claire Ledoux, aka Lili
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| Bruce Cabot | ... |
Robert Latour
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| Roland Young | ... |
Charles Giraud
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| Mischa Auer | ... |
Zolotov
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| Andy Devine | ... |
Andrew, The First Sailor
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Frank Jenks | ... |
Second Sailor
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Eddie Quillan | ... |
Third Sailor
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Laura Hope Crews | ... |
Auntie
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Franklin Pangborn | ... |
Bellows
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Theresa Harris | ... |
Clementine, Claire's Maid
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| Clarence Muse | ... |
Samuel, Carriage Driver
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Melville Cooper | ... |
Brother-in-Law
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Anne Revere | ... |
Giraud's Sister
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Bob Evans | ... |
William
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Emily Fitzroy | ... |
Giraud's Cousin Amelia
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French farce comes to the New World in 1840 as Claire Ledoux convinces the middle-aged banker who is her fiance that she is two different women -- a deception made necessary by the arrival of a man acquainted with the swath she cut across Europe. Giraud has been about to foreclose on a $150 loan made to a sea captain who needed the funds to court Claire. Get Claire's "cousin" out of New Orleans before the wedding, Giraud tells the sea captain and the debt will be paid. Written by Dale O'Connor <daleoc@interaccess.com>
René Clair lost some of his charm when he went to Hollywood, but chances were good that he couldn't lose it all. I quite love his 1942 film I Married a Witch, starring Veronica Lake. I think I like this Marlene Dietrich vehicle even better. Oh, this is a charmer, all right. The plot is too complicated to describe here, but the story is very clever and very entertaining. The film is sweet, romantic and quite funny. The cast is exceptional. Bruce Cabot is surprisingly great as the leading man. You might remember him as the block of wood who won out over the monkey in King Kong. He must have gained some talent as he aged; he's much more handsome at this point, and has an effortless charm, reminiscent of Clark Gable. Roland Young plays his rival. One thing I'll always love about Golden Age Hollywood is the bevy of character actors, something we have entirely lost in the present. Here we have Mischa Auer, Anne Revere, Andy Devine, Theresa Harris and Franklin Pangborn. I had thought for sure Morocco was the best reason to own Universal's Marlene Dietrich set, but, so far, this is the best.