j f
Michael Curtiz, Gary Cooper, and cigs. It's a winning combination.
Lauren Bacall, sticking-it-to-the-man, and demanding satisfaction just cherries on top.
Makes you wish a movie could be President, or some variety of southern Governor at least.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
06/03/23
Full Review
paul h
A forgotten gem headed by all star cast including Gary Cooper at height of his stardom (1950). This is the kind of classy movie that Hollywood used to make before they decided to do everything according to political correctness and other misguided
adventures into societal life. A man invents a cigarette machine at the turn of the 20th century which causes economic and social ripples through the South. Enjoy!
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Once, magnate Major Singleton ran the Royles out of the Kingsmont tobacco country for daring to make lowly cigarettes. Now in 1894, Brant Royle, last of his name, is back. Forceful and macho, Brant intends to re-establish his family no matter what it takes. Two lovely women have waited for him: bordello keeper Sonia, with love; Singleton's daughter Margaret, with hatred and desire. As automation rears its head, the struggle attains an epic quality. Will Royle Cigarettes flood the market? Will Brant pick the wrong woman?
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/14/23
Full Review
kevin w
A forgotten gem from Michael Curtiz, here is a story about a sharecropper's son (Gary Cooper) who wrangles his way into the fledgling cigarette game with a machine to roll the smokes instead of the old fashioned way, by hand, saving money, making money. Soon he's up against the old tobacco money crowd, cigars only, thank you, and none too appreciative of the new kid on the block, white trash. Along the way is the woman who's always loved him (Bacall) versus the one who only thinks of him as a cheap walk on the wild side, old money (Neal). Coop doesn't pull off white trash too well, the major flaw in the piece, but otherwise a competent entry by populist Curtiz.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
Full Review
Audience Member
When he looks at me, I know I am a woman.
A young man grows up next to a young lady in the south. Both of their parents are landowners with large estates, but the girl's family is rich, the boy's family is poor, and the parents do not get along at all. The boy never pursues his dream of dating the girl. The boy grows up to become an entrepreneur of sorts, and sleeps often with another local town girl. He won't settle down with the girl he sleeps with. One day, he develops a get rich plan, and asks the girl he is sleeping with to help him financially, deep down she hopes if it works out, he will marry her, but she knows it isn't likely...and she's right. He gets rich, proposes to his childhood sweetheart, and forms a life with her. The young man believes his life is now set, but karma may circle back and kick him in the butt.
"Are you a dangerous man?"
"I get what I want if you think that's dangerous."
Michael Curtiz, director of Casablanca, White Christmas, Mildred Pierce, The Adventures of Robin Hood, the Vagabond King, Yankee Doodle Dandee, and Captain Blood, delivers Virginia City. The storyline for this picture is very compelling and actually reminded me of Gone with the Wind. I found all of the characters to be annoying at times, but all of their stories were fascinating. The acting was excellent and the cast includes Gary Cooper, Lauren Bacall, Patricia Neal, Jack Carson, and Donald Crisp.
"Be honest."
"How honest?"
I DVR'd this picture because it was directed by the great Michael Curtiz (one of my all time favorite directors). I had procrastinated on watching this for a little while, but was pleasantly surprised by the wonderful characters, up and down storyline, and the ultimate conclusion. This is definitely a must see picture that should be mentioned in the same breath as Gone with the Wind and Casablanca.
"Don't I know you from someplace?"
"I've never been there."
Grade: A
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/19/23
Full Review
bill t
Bumpy drama about high drama in the tobacky industry. Gary Cooper plays a guy who picks up after getting shoved in the mud by richer tobacco people. Soon, after acquiring a marvellous invention that rolls cigarettes and starts ovepowering his competition, power starts corrupting him. Gary Cooper is pretty good in this, it's great in the beginning, but when there's no place to go but down, it starts to get less interesting. Bacall is alright but Neal is fantastic.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
Full Review
Read all reviews
>
