The Fighting Kentuckian

Rating:
Summary: Another off-beat role for The DUKE!
Review: "The Fighting Kentuckian" is the second movie that The DUKE produced for Republic Pictures. Unfortunately, while the first project, "Angel and the Badman" was a great success, this movie bordered on disaster.

In order to be given producing credit, DUKE had to hire the studio boss's girlfriend (Vera Ralston), to star opposite him. He knew she'd be no good for the picture, but DUKE's hands were tied.

One problem with Vera Ralston was that she had a Czech accent. The role she was playing was supposed to be a French woman! In the end, all the French characters had to be cast with Czechs and other Eastern Europeans so Ralston's accent would not stand out. While not embarrassing herself too badly here, Ralston was not a real actress, and it shows.

Oliver Hardy is great as DUKE's sidekick, although he was reluctant to do a project without his partner, Stan Laurel. Hardy had worked in a play with DUKE and John Ford just before filming began on "The Fighting Kentuckian", and DUKE really wanted Hardy in his next project. Hardy only agreed after Laurel, ill at the time, talked him into it.

There's quite a bit that's out of place here. Mixing the Louisiana river traders with French Army ex-patriots is a weird bit of psudo-history, made even more weird by the unlikely addition of the Kentucky Regiment that Wayne and Hardy are part of.

DUKE is still DUKE, and Hardy is fun, but otherwise this overblown costume drama is not very memorable.

The print Artisan used for the DVD transfer is pretty poor, too. For DUKE or Hardy completists, only.

Rating:
Summary: Pleasant, but nothing special
Review: A Kentucky soldier (John Wayne) falls for a French general's daughter (Vera Ralston) and gets mixed up in a battle between unscrupulous river traders and French settlers. Nothing remarkable here. It's pure formula right down to the end, when the cavalry comes to the rescue. Oliver Hardy is entertaining in a rare appearance without Stan Laurel.

Rating:
Summary: Pleasant, but nothing special
Review: A Kentucky soldier (John Wayne) falls for a French general's daughter (Vera Ralston) and gets mixed up in a battle between unscrupulous river traders and French settlers. Nothing remarkable here. It's pure formula right down to the end, when the cavalry comes to the rescue. Oliver Hardy is entertaining in a rare appearance without Stan Laurel.

Rating:
Summary: Starts slow finishes strong
Review: A very different John Wayne movie as he plays a member of a Kentuckey Milita regement who falls for a French General's daughter in 1818 Alabama.

The addition of Oliver Hardy as his side kick is a very neat trick and works extremely well in this picture. I would have enjoyed seeing the paring more oftern.

The plot suffers as we never really know why he is avoiding his regement at the start but once we get up river it thickens and deepens to the point where we have quite a mystery on our hands, best exemplified when Wayne ask a character "Who's side are you on anyway?", and the answer comes "Mine."

Although some may disagree I think Vera Rawlson is very good in this picture and quite believeable, despite her being the studio heads girl (or maybe because of it, after all she plays the pampered daughter of a French General)

The big fight and chase scenes are pulled off well and the comic relief is pleasent.

An inexpensive movie and a pleasure.

And for those of you who scorn a colorized version, I don't know about you but my TV has a color control and you can turn it off.

Rating:
Summary: Charming western with a few minor flaws
Review: As another reviewer mentioned, the movie is a bit slow to start and leaves some plot points unexplained (yes, why *is* John Breen trying to get out of going with his regiment?) but is overall very enjoyable. Wayne is courtly and charming (nobody says "ma'am" like he does), and Oliver Hardy (showing off his native Georgian accent) is so adorable, I wanted to put him in my pocket. Truly an inspired piece of casting; thank goodness Wayne kept after Hardy when he initially refused to work without Stan Laurel. Vera Ralston as the French general's daughter was not the best choice, and I kept getting the two mustached villians mixed up, but I happily stayed with the movie until the "big calvary rescue" ending, and would watch it again. This DVD also includes some good behind the scenes photos, and plenty of interesting production notes.

Rating:
Summary: Great early movie
Review: One of John Wayne's better early movies where the film isn't too grainy. Has some quality comedic scenes in here with his sidekick being the big guy from Laurel and Hardy. One of the "here come the calvary" endings you'll find.

Not as good the Sons of Katie Elder, El Dorado but a lot better than True Grit and his older movies. Definitely a good one to have.

Rating:
Summary: The Duke and Ollie Make a Splendid Team
Review: The inspired pairing of John Wayne and comedian Oliver Hardy, along with some memorable action sequences, elevate "The Fighting Kentuckian" (1949) to a higher level than most Republic Westerns. Wayne and Hardy work wonderfully together -- it's markedly different from the Laurel and Hardy chemistry, but just as special. The only dead spot is a wooden and miscast Vera Hruba Ralston as Wayne's leading lady. Otherwise, "The Fighting Kentuckian" is solid Republic craftsmanship.