Flamingo Road (1949)

A small town corrupt sheriff manipulates local candidates to the state legislature but he eventually comes into conflict with an out-of-town carnival dancer.

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Robert Wilder (screenplay), Edmund H. North (additional dialogue)

Stars:

Joan Crawford, Zachary Scott, Sydney Greenstreet

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Joan Crawford	...	Lane Bellamy
Zachary Scott	...	Fielding Carlisle
Sydney Greenstreet	...	Sheriff Titus Semple
David Brian	...	Dan Reynolds
Gladys George	...	Lute Mae Sanders
Virginia Huston	...	Annabelle Weldon
Fred Clark	...	Doc Waterson
Gertrude Michael	...	Millie
Alice White	...	Gracie
Sam McDaniel	...	Boatright
Tito Vuolo	...	Pete Ladas

Storyline

Carnival dancer Lane Bellamy finds herself stranded in a southern town ruled by corrupt political boss Titus Semple. Lane becomes romantically involved with sheriff Fielding Carlisle, a weakling whose career is being driven by Titus. Seeing Lane as a liability to his own political ambitions, Titus mounts a campaign to get her driven out of town. She finds she can't get a job and even gets arrested on a trumped-up morals charge. Released from jail, Lane finds work as a "hostess" at Lutie-Mae's road house, where she meets Dan Reynolds, another member of the town's political machine. They marry and move to a home on Flamingo Road, the town's social pinnacle. Their marriage is soon marked by scandal when a drunken Carlisle visits Lane at home one evening and shoots himself.

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Plot Keywords:

false arrest | graft | senator | election | campaign | 

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Taglines:

"See You on Flamingo Road"

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Genres:

Drama | Film-Noir | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 April 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

Boulevard des passions

Filming Locations:

Stage 28, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,528,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$2,263,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,896,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Michael Curtiz Productions, Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Screen Director's Playhouse" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on May 26, 1950 with Joan Crawford reprising her film role.

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Goofs

One hour and twelve minutes into the film, Titus Semple and Fielding Carlisle have an argument in the construction office; Titus throws Fiedling out the door into the dirt then walks out the door. He stops, takes a whiskey bottle and breaks the glass in the door with Fielding's name on it. The sugar confection used in Hollywood for break-away glass flies onto Titus's cheek under his left eye. It sticks for one second then falls off.

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Quotes

Doc Waterson: I don't think our form of government is so bad that honest men can't run it.

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits are presented on a book as someone turns the pages.

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Connections

Followed by Flamingo Road: Pilot (1980)

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Soundtracks

You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Played on the piano during Lane's interview with Lute Mae

User Reviews

Ya can't go wrong in this town if you say Yep to the right people and Nope to the rest.

Flamingo Road is directed by Michael Curtiz and adapted to screenplay by Robert Wilder from his own play of the same name (with Sally Wilder). It stars Joan Crawford, Sydney Greenstreet, Zachary Scott, David Bryan and Gladys George. Music is by Max Steiner and cinematography by Ted D. McCord.

When circumstance sees Lane Bellamy (Crawford) stuck in Bolden City, she quickly finds herself embroiled in a love affair and involved in a war with political tyrant Sheriff Titus Semple (Greenstreet).

The Moody kind always cause trouble.

Southern Gothic - cum - politico melodrama with noirish tints, Flamingo Road gets above average due to high tech credits and a superbly nasty turn from Greenstreet. Essentially the pic is about a girl from the other side of the tracks making her way up the social ladder, but she has to lock horns with a nasty piece of work and battle with affairs of the heart.

Flamingo - Affluent - Road!

It's strong on narrative terms, the screenplay neatly blending the greed of political posers with almost perverse social wiles. Curtiz (Mildred Pierce/The Unsuspected) and McCord (Johnny Belinda/The Breaking Point) keep it brisk and atmospherically moody, while the impressive Greenstreet - all sweaty, ambiguous and devilish, is surrounded by a more than competent cast of supporting players.

What of Crawford? Wisely "requesting" that Curtiz be given the director's job, she's compelling and classically committed to the role. It's true to say she is too old for the character, something which her fans are known to hate reading, while both the actors playing her love interests are almost 10 years her junior - which is a bit of a reality stretch for the era. However, such is her acting ability, she gets you on side quickly, with the makers shooting her in soft focus and the writer giving her good work to use off of the page.

A strange movie in some ways, but intriguing and sharp and it's never dull. While the quality on show from both sides of the camera is most pleasing. 7/10