Universal International Pictures
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Frenchie
Every Inch of Her Was Against the Law! She's Tameless...He's Tough!
Frenchie Fontaine sells her successful business in New Orleans to come West. Her reason? Find the men who killed her father, Frank Dawson. But she only knows one of the two who did and she's determined to find out the other.
- Original title
- Frenchie
- Language
- EN
- Country
- US
- Budget
- —
- Revenue
- —
John Chard
Nov 6, 2019 · via TMDB
The Scarlet Angel! Frenchie is directed by Louis King and written by Oscar Brodney. It stars Joel McCrea, Shelley Winters, Paul Kelly, Elsa Lanchester, Marie Windsor and John Russell. Music is by Hans Salter and cinematography by Maury Gertsman. Frenchie Fontaine (Winters) has sold her successful business in New Orleans and has come West to prosper further - or does she have an ulterior motive? In spite of some on line sources proclaiming this to be a remake of "Destry", which is a considerably better film as it happens, it really isn't a copy. The similarities are for sure there, but it is its own entity and deserves to at least be judged as such. We have a wonderful tried and trusted Western genre narrative thread where someone is out for revenge, only in this instance it's a foxy lady. Male suitors get in a tizzy about garnering her attentions, the bad guys potter about trying to avert suspicion - but do so badly, and there's some moral outrage from townsfolk who object to Frenchie's forthright money making success. While of course there's some truths to be born out - can open and worms everywhere type of thing. It's not very strong on the page, that's for sure, but there's plenty in the production to enjoy regardless. Cast are good value for the roles as written, not that there's any great chemistry between Winters and McCrea, but as she snake hips her way around town, and he fronts up with cool as a cucumber swagger, it's easy to just buy into the frothery of it all. The dialogue is often deliciously suggestive, the costuming is high quality (Yvonne Wood), and when action decides to make an appearance it's competently staged. Yet it's the cinematography that is the pic's best aspect. Maury Gertsman (Comanche Territory) is not a name that jumps off the page for cinematography notices, he definitely was a better purveyor in monochrome, but his Technicolor filters are excellent here. Then there's the gorgeous locales, where Buttermilk Country/Inyo National Forest please the eyes so much you wonder why these weren't used more often through the Western genre heydays? As a serious Western genre fan I wouldn't be comfortable putting this forward as a must see for like minded souls. However, for McCrea and Winters fans - and actually John Russell ones as well - this is no waste of time. 6/10
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
Joel McCrea
Sheriff Tom Banning
Shelley Winters
Frenchie Fontaine
Paul Kelly
Pete Lambert
Elsa Lanchester
Countess
Marie Windsor
Diane Gorman
John Russell
Lance Cole
John Emery
Clyde Gorman
George Cleveland
Mayor Jefferson Harding
Regis Toomey
Carter
Paul E. Burns
Rednose
Frank Ferguson
Jim Dobbs
Lawrence Dobkin
Bartender
Victor Adamson
Saloon Patron (uncredited)
Al Bain
Saloon Patron (uncredited)
Shirley Ballard
Dealer (uncredited)
Rudy Bowman
Saloon Patron (uncredited)
Chet Brandenburg
Saloon Patron (uncredited)
Steve Clark
Man (uncredited)
John Cliff
Man in Assayer's Office (uncredited)
George Eldredge
Gorman's Friend (uncredited)
Al Ferguson
Saloon Patron (uncredited)
Sam Flint
Rancher (uncredited)
Kit Guard
Townsman (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton
Saloon Patron (uncredited)
Jack Ingram
Sam (uncredited)
Chubby Johnson
Miner (uncredited)
Dick Johnstone
Saloon Patron (uncredited)
Ethan Laidlaw
Townsman (uncredited)
Mike Lally
Saloon Patron (uncredited)
Frank Mills
Saloon Patron (uncredited)
Monte Montague
Saloon Patron (uncredited)
Forbes Murray
Saloon Patron (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien
Townsman (uncredited)
Tudor Owen
Toby (uncredited)
Jerry Paris
Perry (uncredited)
Jack Perrin
Voting Official (uncredited)
Jack Perry
Saloon Patron (uncredited)
John Pickard
Man in Assayer's Office (uncredited)
Bob Reeves
Townsman (uncredited)
Cap Somers
Saloon Patron (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook
Saloon Patron (uncredited)
Max Wagner
Drunk (uncredited)
Billy Wayne
Dealer (uncredited)
Chili Williams
Dealer (uncredited)
Hank Worden
Mr. Grady (uncredited)
Yvonne Wood
Costume Design
Bud Westmore
Makeup Artist
Louis King
Director
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Dec 25, 1950
