The Fighting Kentuckian (1949)

Director:

George Waggner

Writer:

George Waggner (written by)

Release Date:

15 September 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Western | Action | Romance

Tagline:

ROUGHER, TOUGHER, MORE ROMANTIC THAT EVER! (original and reissue posters)

Plot:

Following Napoleon's Waterloo defeat and the exile of his officers and their families from France, the U.S.Congress...

Plot Keywords:

Exile | Kentucky | Alabama | U.S. Congress | Waterloo

Cast

John Wayne	...	John Breen
Vera Ralston	...	Fleurette De Marchand
Philip Dorn	...	Col. Georges Geraud
Oliver Hardy	...	Willie Paine
Marie Windsor	...	Ann Logan
John Howard	...	Blake Randolph
Hugo Haas	...	Gen. Paul De Marchand
Grant Withers	...	George Hayden
Odette Myrtil	...	Madame De Marchand
Paul Fix	...	Beau Merritt
Mae Marsh	...	Sister Hattie
Jack Pennick	...	Capt. Dan Carroll
Mickey Simpson	...	Jacques
Fred Graham	...	Carter Ward
Mabelle Koenig	...	Marie

Also Known As:

A Strange Caravan (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Germany:6 (re-rating) (2006) | USA:Approved (PCA #13803) | West Germany:16 (nf) (original rating) | UK:U | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

CBS Studio Center - 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Republic Pictures

Trivia:

John Wayne later blamed the failure of the movie on co-star Vera Ralston.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Auto tire tracks visible in dust during wagon and horse chase scene.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The John Wayne Anthology (1991) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Let Me Down, Oh Hangman

"I said Kentucky whiskey, and that's what I want!"

I would be hard pressed to find an odder casting of co-stars in a movie than John Wayne and Oliver Hardy, but the arrangement seems to work in "The Fighting Kentuckian". Both are members of the 2nd Kentucky Regiment, making their way home following the Battle of New Orleans; it's 1819 and the setting is Demopolis, Alabama. They manage to muster out of their assignments, as John Breen (Wayne) catches the eye of the pretty Fleurette De Marchand (Vera Ralston), and Willie Paine (Hardy) is given a pass to keep tabs on his buddy Breen.

The movie follows the story of a band of exiled French soldiers who were loyal to Napoleon. Following his defeat at Waterloo and exile to Elba, many of his followers found safety in the new land, settling in the southern United States. Curiously, the French soldiers maintain full military dress as they attempt to assimilate into their new surroundings, but at least it makes it easier to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Kentuckian Breen allies himself with the French when he discovers that the village boundaries they have settled were switched at the bequest of George Hayden (Grant Withers), who now plans to steal the land back for himself with the help of his river men allies. Standing between Breen and Madame Fleurette is her fiancée by arrangement, Blake Randolph (John Howard). Randolph has done much to insure the success of the French settlement, and has the backing of Fleurette's father, General Paul De Marchand (Hugo Haas). Needless to say, Breen has an uphill fight, and is constantly in mental discussion with himself as to what his battle plan should be.

In the course of action, Breen and Paine find themselves a helpful ally in French Colonel Georges Geraud (Philip Dorn). Watch closely, and you'll observe Oliver Hardy's character make three moves at once in a chess game against Geraud, proudly proclaiming to "crown it" as he manages to make it to the far side of the game board. Ever the vigilant sidekick, Paine rides after his Kentucky regiment when Breen is taken into custody by the scheming Hayden, now with a two day head start away from Demopolis. Needless to say, they arrive in time to settle the score with Hayden's river men and assure victory for the French settlers.

I have to admit, I was constantly in anticipation of Stan Laurel walking out from behind some tree or boulder to cameo in support of his comic partner. For his part, Oliver Hardy affects many of the familiar comic mannerisms of the partnership he became famous for, and though for the most part appropriate for the situation, they seemed out of place without Laurel on the receiving end.

As expected, John Wayne manages to win the hand of Madame Fleurette by film's end. That custom was established as far back as his mid 1930's Lone Star Film period, but in those days he didn't have to do much to get the girl. As "The Fighting Kentuckian", he had to try hard, real hard to win his lady.