River Lady (film)

Last updated

River Lady
Poster of River Lady (film).jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by George Sherman
Screenplay byD.D. Beauchamp
William Bowers
Based onnovel by Houston Branch and Frank Waters
Produced byLeonard Goldstein
Starring Yvonne De Carlo
Dan Duryea
& Rod Cameron
Cinematography Irving Glassberg
Edited by Otto Ludwig
Music by Paul Sawtell
Color process Technicolor
Production
company
Universal Pictures
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date
  • June 1948 (1948-06)
Running time
78 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1 million [1]

River Lady is a 1948 American lumberjack Western film directed by George Sherman and starring Yvonne De Carlo and Dan Duryea. It was filmed on the Universal Studios Backlot. [2]

Contents

Plot

In the 1870s, in a logging town on the Mississippi River, a conflict exists between the people of a mill town and the lumberjacks who work downriver. Romance and deceit are catalyzed by the arrival of the gambling riverboat, River Lady, owned by a beautiful woman called Sequin.

Bauvais, a representative of the local lumber syndicate and Sequin's business partner, is trying to convince H.L. Morrison, the mill owner, to sell his business. Morrison refuses, and Sequin eventually buys part of the struggling business in order to provide a reputable job for her boyfriend, Dan Corrigan, a lumberjack.

Dan eventually takes the job and he and Sequin become engaged. But, when Dan discovers that Sequin manipulated Morrison into giving him the job, he gets drunk and marries Stephanie, Morrison's daughter. Sparks fly between Morrison's business and Sequin's syndicate instigated by a vengeful Dan.

In the following battle, Bauvais is killed and Dan is shot. After the battle, Sequin visits a healing Dan and asks to get back together (Dan and Stephanie are separated). Dan tells Sequin he has actually fallen in love with his wife and wants to stay with her. On her way out of town forever, Sequin tells Stephanie that Dan wants her thereby reuniting the couple.

Cast

Production

The film was based on a novel by Houston Branch and Frank Waters. Film rights were bought by Universal in March 1941 for a reported $50,000 plus 10 cents for every copy sold over 70,000. The sale was done even before the novel had been written, simply on the strength of its synopsis. The rights were purchased for the Frank Lloyd production unit at Universal, and the film was not able to be made until three months after publication of the novel. [3] Lloyd wanted to make it with Loretta Young. [4]

The novel was published in 1942, the New York Times calling it a "first rate story with no apparent marks of collaboration on it." [5]

When Lloyd left the studio, Universal kept rights to the novel. In 1946 the project was re-activated when it was assigned to producing-writing team of Michael Fessier and Ernest Pagano. They said the stars would be Yvonne de Carlo and Rod Cameron, who had just appeared in Fessier-Pagano's Frontier Gal (1945). [6]

The Hollywood Reporter reported that Ann Blyth was originally cast in River Lady, probably as "Stephanie Morrison", Helena Carter's character. DeCarlo and Duryea had previously appeared together in the Universal film Black Bart , also directed by Sherman. According to Universal press materials, the boat used in River Lady was originally built in 1929 for the silent version of Show Boat . [7] Filming started April 1947. [8] Shot in Technicolor the film was one of Universal's most expensive productions of the year. [1]

Although set in 1870s Minnesota, the film mentions dynamite several times, and one character is shown using it. Dynamite was not invented until 1867.

Reception

Filmink magazine thought the best thing about the movie was Carter who played her part "with a twinkle in her eye, lively, full of spark and clearly intelligent… a good girl who wouldn’t mind being "bad" for the right guy. She was no shy, retiring violent – she goes after Cameron actively, in part because it's a rebellious act and she's clearly sexually attracted to him – but she's no dummy either." [9]

Universal announced they would team Duryea and de Carlo in a third film, Christmas Eve at Pilot Butte but it was never made. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yvonne De Carlo</span> Canadian-born American actress, dancer and singer (1922–2007)

Margaret Yvonne Middleton, known professionally as Yvonne De Carlo, was a Canadian-American actress, dancer and singer. She became a Hollywood film star in the 1940s and 50s, made several recordings, and later acted on television and stage.

<i>Criss Cross</i> (film) 1949 film by Robert Siodmak

Criss Cross is a 1949 American film noir crime film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Burt Lancaster, Yvonne De Carlo and Dan Duryea, from Don Tracy's novel of the same name. This black-and-white film was shot partly on location in the Bunker Hill section of Los Angeles. The film was written by Daniel Fuchs. Miklós Rózsa scored the film's soundtrack. It was remade as The Underneath in 1995.

<i>Black Bart</i> (film) 1948 film by George Sherman

Black Bart is a 1948 American Western film directed by George Sherman and starring Yvonne De Carlo, Dan Duryea as the real-life cowboy bandit Charles Bolles, and Jeffrey Lynn. It was distributed by Universal-International and produced by Leonard Goldstein. It was shot in Technicolor and was also known as Black Bart, Highwayman. The film was written by Luci Ward, Jack Natteford, and William Bowers and was released on March 3, 1948.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helena Carter</span> American actress (1923–2000)

Helena Carter was an American film actress in the 1940s and 1950s who is best known for her work in the film Invaders from Mars as Dr. Patricia Blake. From 1947 to 1953 she would appear in 13 films, during which time she also worked as a model.

<i>Tomahawk</i> (film) 1951 film

Tomahawk is a 1951 American Western film directed by George Sherman and starring Van Heflin and Yvonne De Carlo. The film is loosely based on events that took place in Wyoming in 1866 to 1868 around Fort Phil Kearny on the Bozeman Trail such as the Fetterman Fight and Wagon Box Fight. In the UK, the film was released as The Battle of Powder River.

<i>The Fighting OFlynn</i> 1949 film by Arthur Pierson

The Fighting O'Flynn is a 1949 American adventure film directed by Arthur Pierson. The film's screenplay by Douglas Fairbanks Jr. is based on the novel of the same name by Justin Huntly McCarthy. Fairbanks stars, along with Helena Carter.

<i>Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye</i> (film) 1950 film by Gordon Douglas

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye is a 1950 film noir starring James Cagney, directed by Gordon Douglas, produced by William Cagney and based on the novel by Horace McCoy. The film was banned in Ohio as "a sordid, sadistic presentation of brutality and an extreme presentation of crime with explicit steps in commission."

<i>Istanbul</i> (film) 1957 film by Joseph Pevney

Istanbul is a 1957 American CinemaScope film noir crime film directed by Joseph Pevney, and starring Errol Flynn and Cornell Borchers. It is a remake of the film Singapore, with the location of the action moved to Turkey. The plot involves an American pilot who becomes mixed up with various criminal activities in Istanbul.

<i>Something in the Wind</i> 1947 film by Irving Pichel

Something in the Wind is a 1947 American musical comedy film directed by Irving Pichel and starring Deanna Durbin, Donald O'Connor, and John Dall.

<i>Double Crossbones</i> 1951 film by Charles Barton

Double Crossbones is a 1951 American comedy adventure film distributed by Universal International, produced by Leonard Goldstein, directed by Charles Barton, and stars Donald O'Connor and Helena Carter. It was shot in Technicolor and was released on January 22. The story is of shopkeeper apprentice Davey Crandall becoming a pirate after being accused falsely of being involved of selling stolen goods.

<i>Intrigue</i> (1947 film) 1947 film by Edwin L. Marin

Intrigue is a 1947 American film noir crime film directed by Edwin L. Marin and starring George Raft, June Havoc and Helena Carter. Intrigue was intended to be the first of a number of films Raft made, with producer Sam Bischoff, for his own production company, Star Films. It was one of several movies Raft made with Marin.

<i>Flame of the Islands</i> 1956 drama film directed by Edward Ludwig

Flame of the Islands is a 1956 American film noir crime film directed by Edward Ludwig and starring Yvonne De Carlo, Howard Duff, and Zachary Scott.

<i>Scarlet Angel</i> 1952 film by Sidney Salkow

Scarlet Angel is a 1952 American Technicolor adventure film directed by Sidney Salkow and starring Yvonne de Carlo and Rock Hudson.

Pirates of Monterey is a 1947 American Technicolor Western film directed by Alfred L. Werker starring Maria Montez and Rod Cameron. It was the last movie she made for Universal.

<i>The Golden Hawk</i> 1952 film

The Golden Hawk is a 1952 American adventure film, directed by Sidney Salkow and starring Rhonda Fleming and Sterling Hayden, based on the novel of the same name by Frank Yerby.

<i>Calamity Jane and Sam Bass</i> 1949 film by George Sherman

Calamity Jane and Sam Bass is a 1949 American Western film directed by George Sherman and starring Yvonne de Carlo, Howard Duff and Dorothy Hart.

<i>Frontier Gal</i> 1945 film by Charles Lamont

Frontier Gal is a 1945 American Western film directed by Charles Lamont and starring Yvonne De Carlo and Rod Cameron.

<i>Slave Girl</i> (film) 1947 film by Charles Lamont

Slave Girl is a 1947 American Technicolor adventure comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and starring Yvonne De Carlo and George Brent.

<i>Time Out of Mind</i> (1947 film) 1947 film by Robert Siodmak

Time Out of Mind is a 1947 American film noir drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Phyllis Calvert, Robert Hutton and Ella Raines. The film was made by Universal Pictures on a large budget of $1,674,500, but the film was not a commercial success. The British actress Calvert was a major star in Britain and other countries for her roles in the Gainsborough Melodramas.

<i>South Sea Sinner</i> 1950 film by H. Bruce Humberstone

South Sea Sinner is a 1950 American adventure film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and starring Macdonald Carey and Shelley Winters. It is a remake of Seven Sinners (1940). Liberace has a small role.

References

  1. 1 2 "109-Mill Techni Sked". Variety. February 18, 1948. p. 14.
  2. ↑ Scheuer, Philip K. (July 8, 1948). "'RIVER LADY' TYPICAL". Los Angeles Times. p. 23.
  3. ↑ DOUGLAS W. CHURCHILL (March 15, 1941). "Charles Boyer Will Appear in 'Appointment for Love' -- 'Chamber of Horrors' Opens Here Today". New York Times. p. 13.
  4. ↑ DOUGLAS W. CHURCHILL (May 25, 1941). "HOLLYWOOD JOTTINGS: Cameras Finally Turn on Anglo-American Charity Film -- Capra-Chaplin Combine?". New York Times. p. X3.
  5. ↑ Wallace, Margaret (March 22, 1942). "On the Mississippi: loIVl LADI. By Houston Branch and Frank Waters. 374 pp. New York: Farrar & Rinehart. Inc. $2.0". New York Times. p. BR22.
  6. ↑ "UNIVERSAL PLANS 'RIVER LADY' FILM: Fessier and Pagano to Handle Movie Based on Novel-- Four Named to Cast Of Local Origin". New York Times. October 4, 1946. p. 16.
  7. ↑ TCM Movie Database
  8. ↑ "Fessier and Pagano to Do 'Bloomer Girl'". Los Angeles Times. March 23, 1947. p. B2.
  9. ↑ Vagg, Stephen (February 14, 2020). "Helena Carter: An Appreciation". Filmink.
  10. ↑ Schallert, Edwin (September 22, 1947). "DRAMA AND FILM: 'Viva Zapata!' Readied; Big Outwester Slated". Los Angeles Times. p. A2.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.