This is a very entertaining action adventure yarn from Republic Pictures. It is really about the adventures, or should I say schemes, of a creole girl in old New Orleans. While Errol Flynn receives top billing as Captain Michael Fabian -Flynn's box office clout helped finance the project- he is clearly playing a supporting role to French actress Micheline Presle.
She's the main attraction. As the wife of producer-director William Marshall, it's understandable she would have such prominence on screen...especially since the picture was filmed in her native France. Mr. Marshall no doubt wanted to present Miss Presle in the most favorable light possible, and for the most part, succeeds.
Presle is playing a saucy servant girl who decides she's going to have the finer things in life. This includes a fancy manse on St. Charles Street and servants of her own to boss around. Of course, how she zigzags from point A to point B is what makes the picture a guilty pleasure to watch.
Aiding Presle in her efforts at achieving upward mobility is a shrewd relative known as Aunt Jezebel (Agnes Moorehead). Plans take an unexpected turn when a man (Vincent Price) engaged to her employer (Helena Manson) attempts to have a tryst with Presle. Price's lust for Presle puts him in the wrong place at the wrong time when a strange death occurs.
Price seeks to extricate himself from the scandalous situation. He turns Presle into the police for the crime, while feigning his own innocence. As a result of these machinations, Presle stands trial, and Moorehead looks on frustrated by the dramatic events.
This is when Errol Flynn enters the scene. He's a well-liked sea captain who'd been cheated in deals hauling cargo for Price and Price's uncle (Victor Francen). He shows up in the courtroom just as Presle is about to be found guilty and sentenced to hang.
Some of the dialogue is rather amusing. The judge asks Flynn: "Are you a member of the bar?" To which Flynn replies: "No, sir. The only bars I know are slightly more congenial." Because of witty remarks and his ability to reason with the magistrate, Flynn is able to broker a deal to get Presle off the legal hook. She is then released into Flynn's temporary custody.
Flynn is attracted to Presle but denies it. He purchases a tavern for her to run with her aunt which she intends to turn into a respectable eatery with the necessary upgrades. Meanwhile, Price's wedding to Manson moves ahead. On the night that Price's bachelor party occurs, he and his buddies wind up at Presle's establishment where they have a big party.
Flynn is away on a voyage, and Presle uses the opportunity to turn Price from the other woman and blackmail him into marrying her instead. She is able to accomplish this feat by luring Price from the tavern to his uncle's home, where the uncle is killed. It would seem that every time these two get together, someone dies!
Presle helps Price bury the uncle, and they concoct a ruse that the uncle is away on business. Price then marries Presle to keep her quiet. She now has the residence on St. Charles Street she's been coveting. But it's a marriage made in hell, complicated by Flynn's return from sea.
The last section of the film has Price trying to frame Flynn for the uncle's death. Presle tries to help Flynn, and so does Moorehead who gets killed for her troubles. Flynn is stuck in the slammer, but a spectacular jailbreak sequence allows him to escape through an underground tunnel and return to his ship.
This all leads to Flynn having a showdown with Price on the docks. Flynn's men fight off the police and try to hoist the sail and take off. Price dies in the skirmish, but not before he's able to set Flynn's vessel on fire. Presle arrives at the docks and is caught up in everything that is happening.
The ship's mast, still ablaze, falls and as it crashes down, it pins Presle underneath. Flynn comes to her rescue but it's too late.
This is a rousing tale from start to finish. It has an excellent cast, strong production values and not one moment of it is boring.
She's the main attraction. As the wife of producer-director William Marshall, it's understandable she would have such prominence on screen...especially since the picture was filmed in her native France. Mr. Marshall no doubt wanted to present Miss Presle in the most favorable light possible, and for the most part, succeeds.
Presle is playing a saucy servant girl who decides she's going to have the finer things in life. This includes a fancy manse on St. Charles Street and servants of her own to boss around. Of course, how she zigzags from point A to point B is what makes the picture a guilty pleasure to watch.
Aiding Presle in her efforts at achieving upward mobility is a shrewd relative known as Aunt Jezebel (Agnes Moorehead). Plans take an unexpected turn when a man (Vincent Price) engaged to her employer (Helena Manson) attempts to have a tryst with Presle. Price's lust for Presle puts him in the wrong place at the wrong time when a strange death occurs.
Price seeks to extricate himself from the scandalous situation. He turns Presle into the police for the crime, while feigning his own innocence. As a result of these machinations, Presle stands trial, and Moorehead looks on frustrated by the dramatic events.
This is when Errol Flynn enters the scene. He's a well-liked sea captain who'd been cheated in deals hauling cargo for Price and Price's uncle (Victor Francen). He shows up in the courtroom just as Presle is about to be found guilty and sentenced to hang.
Some of the dialogue is rather amusing. The judge asks Flynn: "Are you a member of the bar?" To which Flynn replies: "No, sir. The only bars I know are slightly more congenial." Because of witty remarks and his ability to reason with the magistrate, Flynn is able to broker a deal to get Presle off the legal hook. She is then released into Flynn's temporary custody.
Flynn is attracted to Presle but denies it. He purchases a tavern for her to run with her aunt which she intends to turn into a respectable eatery with the necessary upgrades. Meanwhile, Price's wedding to Manson moves ahead. On the night that Price's bachelor party occurs, he and his buddies wind up at Presle's establishment where they have a big party.
Flynn is away on a voyage, and Presle uses the opportunity to turn Price from the other woman and blackmail him into marrying her instead. She is able to accomplish this feat by luring Price from the tavern to his uncle's home, where the uncle is killed. It would seem that every time these two get together, someone dies!
Presle helps Price bury the uncle, and they concoct a ruse that the uncle is away on business. Price then marries Presle to keep her quiet. She now has the residence on St. Charles Street she's been coveting. But it's a marriage made in hell, complicated by Flynn's return from sea.
The last section of the film has Price trying to frame Flynn for the uncle's death. Presle tries to help Flynn, and so does Moorehead who gets killed for her troubles. Flynn is stuck in the slammer, but a spectacular jailbreak sequence allows him to escape through an underground tunnel and return to his ship.
This all leads to Flynn having a showdown with Price on the docks. Flynn's men fight off the police and try to hoist the sail and take off. Price dies in the skirmish, but not before he's able to set Flynn's vessel on fire. Presle arrives at the docks and is caught up in everything that is happening.
The ship's mast, still ablaze, falls and as it crashes down, it pins Presle underneath. Flynn comes to her rescue but it's too late.
This is a rousing tale from start to finish. It has an excellent cast, strong production values and not one moment of it is boring.