The Fighting Kentuckian (1949)

[ethanedwards]

THE FIGHTING KENTUCKIAN

DIRECTED and WRITTEN BY GEORGE WAGGNER
PRODUCED BY JOHN WAYNE
REPUBLIC PICTURES



..

INFORMATION FROM IMDb

Plot Summary
In Alabama in 1818, Kentucky militiaman John Breen falls in love with a French exile
and discovers a plot to steal the land her fellow exiles plan to settle on.
Summary written by Jim Beaver

Full 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 (wrestler/Marie's father)
Fred Graham .... Carter Ward
Mabelle Koenig .... Marie
Shy Waggner .... Friend
Crystal White .... Friend
Fred Aldrich .... Townsman (uncredited)
Richard Alexander .... Militiaman at festival (uncredited)
Dave Anderson .... Giles (uncredited)
Charles Andre .... DeMarchand's servant (uncredited)
Hank Bell .... Militiaman at festival (uncredited)
Ralph Bucko .... Buck (uncredited)
Charles Cane .... Knox Brown (head fiddler) (uncredited)
Tex Cooper .... Man leaning against tree (uncredited)
Gino Corrado .... French soldier (uncredited)
Steve Darrell .... Gen. Jackson (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn .... River man (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum .... DeMarchand party guest (uncredited)
Billy Green .... Bartender (uncredited)
William Hawes .... Bit part (uncredited)
Fred Libby .... Bit part (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons .... Kentuckian driver (uncredited)
Alberto Morin .... Pierre Le Brun (uncredited)
Al Murphy .... Buckskin (uncredited)
Jack O'Shea .... Militiaman (uncredited)
Jack Perry .... Demopolis citizen at festival (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson .... Militiaman (uncredited)
Michael Ross .... Sheriff (uncredited)
David Sharpe .... French soldier with Run (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan .... Militiaman at festival (uncredited)
Tony Travers .... Frenchman (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel .... Brawler (uncredited)
Blackie Whiteford .... Demopolis citizen at festival (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe .... Militiaman at festival (uncredited)
Hank Worden .... Abner Todd (militiaman announcing wrestling) (uncredited)

Stunts
Jerry Brown .... stunts (uncredited)
Bob Bryant .... stunts (uncredited)
Roydon Clark .... stunts (uncredited)
Fred Graham .... stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward .... stunts (uncredited)
John Hudkins .... stunts (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons .... stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons .... stunts (uncredited)
Bob Morgan .... stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson .... stunts (uncredited)
David Sharpe .... stunts (uncredited)
Henry Wills .... stunts (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe .... stunts (uncredited)

Original Music
George Antheil

Cinematography
Lee Garmes

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lee Lukather .... assistant director (uncredited)
Robert E. Morrison .... assistant director (uncredited)

Trivia
Although Oliver Hardy was a good friend of John Wayne's,
he initially balked at acting in this movie, for fear that it would make people
think that he and Stan Laurel had broken up as a team.
When Laurel insisted that Hardy take the role, he acquiesced.

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

One of two movies that Oliver Hardy acted in during the 23 year period
he made comedies with his partner Stan Laurel.

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

* Anachronisms: After Oliver Hardy sits down on and flattens his trumpet making it useless,
the final scene shows him walking away with the rest of the happy group
and a brand new trumpet on his back. Where did he get it?

* Anachronisms: The "2nd Kentucky Regiment" is shown marching in step.
Frontier militia units of that day were rarely trained in formal marching,
being raised in response to a specific, short-term need, and disbanded
as soon as possible to save money.
Also, no unit would march in step unnecessarily, as it was tiring to the men.

* Anachronisms: Willie talks of Kentucky and says
"Ma is baking bread and you can smell it all through the house."
He is referencing an early-to-mid 20th Century stereotype.
At that time of the movie the typical house in Kentucky would have had only one or two rooms
with an exterior kitchen under a lean-to. As almost all work was done outside the house,
the smell in the house would not have been noticed.

* Anachronisms: A number of times the background music uses pieces of "La Marseillaise".
Although associated with revolutionary and modern France, the song was banned by Emperor Napoleon.

* Continuity: At the beginning of the final battle, Fleurette runs out to give a weapon to John Breen.
She brings neither a shot pouch or powder horn.
Breen is also carrying neither of these items.
However, he is somehow able to reload and fire the musket a number of times thereafter.

Memorable Quotes

Filming Location[/U][/B]
CBS Studio Center - 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA

[ethanedwards]

The Fighting Kentuckian (1949) is an American comedy action film starring John Wayne and Oliver Hardy.
The movie was written and directed by George Waggner and made by Republic Pictures.

I really like this film, and found it great fun and entertainment.
Duke played well, and was side-kicked by a rare appearance of Oliver Hardy,
who acted exactly the same, as he did, only without Stan.
He was funny, if not convincing in his role.

Jack Pennick, played a much bigger role for him,
and for members, who can't place him, this is a good movie, to see him.
Duke had some friends in support including his brother Bob, Chuck, Paul Fix and Grant Withers.

This was the first film Chuck Roberson, ,was to double for Duke,
a decision, that was to change Chuck's life, forever.

The weakest casting was that of Vera Hruba Ralston, the Czech skater,,
who's only claim to fame, is that she was the Republic bosses, moll!!!
She had trouble speaking English, and couldn't act, to save the ice melting!!
She made 12 films for Republic and the only ones that made a profit,
were, the ones she made with, Duke.

Duke said,

Yates made me use Vera Hruba,...I've always been mad at Yates about this,
because we lost the chance to have one damn fine movie.

I agree with the above,however, Duke was unhappy about the mediocrity of the film,
it suffered from a convoluted plot,bad acting and weak comic relief, just everything about it was forgettable,
but nevertheless, it made money at the box office.

A previous thread:-

What Do You Think Of The Fighting Kentuckian

User Review

Author: planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida, from IMDb

This movie is pure Republic Pictures B-movie all the way, with relatively low production values,
Very Ralston (girlfriend of the CEO) and lots of action.
And this is not necessarily a bad thing (apart from the lousy acting by Ralston),
as the movie is highly entertaining. So, if you just turn off your brain and enjoy, this is a terrific film.
I particularly love seeing Oliver Hardy playing a rare supporting actor role very late in his career.
Is he believable? Not in the least.
But, he's funny and quite the sidekick to John Wayne
. The plot, such as it is, involves Wayne falling for Cajun Ralston (a Swedish actress playing a Creole woman?!)
and getting into a wide variety of scraps along the way.
Not much more to it than that but it is so much fun, who cares?!

[arthurarnell]

Hi

This was one of the first John Wayne films I ever remember seeing I must have been about eight or nine when it came second time around at the Shaftsbury our local 'flea pit' (although thats not quite as bad as that but they never showed new pictures only second or third time around films).

Mostly I remember the finale with all the Kentuckians in the wagons coming to the aid of the homesteaders and Oliver Hardy and his trumpet. It was and still is a great film.

Regards

Arthur

[arthurarnell]

Hi



Oliver Hardy, John Wayne and Phillip Dorn in a scene from
'The Fighting Kentuckian'


Regards

Arthur

[chester7777]

I know we've posted this elsewhere (like here, but thought we'd link to it here, in the "rightful" thread.

Of course, to update, our seven year old is now ten.

But it is still a favorite line!

Chester

[ethanedwards]

Thanks Arthur,

I've posted another photo, at the top of the thread.

[DukePilgrim]

I think I remember reading that Vera Hruba Ralston was Yate's mistress and he tried everything to make her a star.

Well worth watching though for Oliver Hardy alone.


Mike

[ethanedwards]

Hi Mike

Hope this answers it

Originally Posted by ethanedwards

The weakest casting was that of Vera Hruba Ralston, the Czech skater,,
who's only claim to fame, is that she was the REPUBLIC bosses, moll!!!
She had trouble speaking English, and couldn't act, to save the ice melting!!
She made 12 films for REPUBLIC and the only ones that made a profit,
were, the ones she made with, Duke.

Duke said,
Yates made me use Vera Hruba,...I've always been mad at Yates about this,
because we lost the chance to have one damn fine movie.

Author: planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida, from IMDb
This movie is pure Republic Pictures B-movie all the way, with relatively low production values,
Very Ralston (girlfriend of the CEO) and lots of action.
And this is not necessarily a bad thing (apart from the lousy acting by Ralston),
as the movie is highly entertaining. So, if you just turn off your brain and enjoy, this is a terrific film.
I particularly love seeing Oliver Hardy playing a rare supporting actor role very late in his career. Is he believable? Not in the least.
But, he's funny and quite the sidekick to John Wayne

[DukePilgrim]

Thanks Keith

When her illustrious career ended didnt he eventually marry her.


Mike

[ethanedwards]

Mike,

He sure did!!
They married in March 1952,
and it lasted until February 1966 (His death)

She was obviously a better wife than
she was an actress, and if you read on,
she wasn't stupid either!

Ralson is generally conceded to owe her "stardom"
to being the personal "protege" of Republic Pictures studio head Herbert J. Yates.
They were married in 1952. Significantly, she "retired" from the screen in 1958,
the year Yates was deposed as head of the studio.
They remained married until Yates' death in 1966,
at which point Ralston inherited half of his $10 million estate.
IMDb

[chester7777]

Here's a movie poster for The Fighting Kentuckian.

Chester

[DukePilgrim]

Hi Keith

Smart woman after all!!


Mike

[arthurarnell]

Hi

Here a well known picture of the Duke from The Fighting Kentuckian. I have both the Black and white and colour version of the photograph'


Regards

Arthur

[arthurarnell]

Hi

Obviously during the 1940s posters came in all shapes and sizes as they do today.

Wether this is a Britis poster and subject to rationing or not I don't know but it is ceratinly quite plain.

Regards

Arthur

[Moonshine_Sally]

Hi

Here a well known picture of the Duke from The Fighting Kentuckian. I have both the Black and white and colour version of the photograph'


Regards

Arthur

Good photo that is!Thanks for sharing