The French Line (1953)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

Lloyd Bacon

Writers:

Matty Kemp (story) and
Isabel Dawn (story) ...

Release Date:

8 February 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

THAT Picture! THAT Dance! - you've heard so much about!

Plot:

Oil heiress Mame Carson takes an incognito cruise so that men will love her for her body, not her money.

Plot Keywords:

Oil | Heiress | Texas | Model | Boat

Cast

Jane Russell	...	Mary 'Mame' Carson
Gilbert Roland	...	Pierre DuQuesne
Arthur Hunnicutt	...	'Waco' Mosby
Mary McCarty	...	Annie Farrell
Joyce Mackenzie	...	Myrtle Brown (as Joyce MacKenzie)
Rita Corday	...	Celeste (as Paula Corday)
Scott Elliott	...	Bill Harris
Craig Stevens	...	Phil Barton
Kasey Rogers	...	Katherine 'Katy' Hodges (as Laura Elliott)
Steven Geray	...	François, Ship Steward
John Wengraf	...	Commodore Renard
Michael St. Angel	...	George Hodges
Barbara Darrow	...	Donna Adams
Barbara Dobbins	...	Kitty Lee

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

West Germany:18 | Finland:S | USA:Approved | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

Initially, Jane Russell was to have performed her "Lookin' for Trouble" number in a bikini, a bathing suit that was quite racy for 1954. She wore the skimpy outfit for a production still (later reproduced in her autobiography) but complained that she felt "very naked" in front of the movie's crew. Eventually a compromise was reached, and she appeared in the one-piece outfit shown in the movie.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hollywood Uncensored (1987)

Soundtrack:

LOOKING FOR TROUBLE

I Love Gilbert Rowland and this was a hoot to watch

Gilbert Rowland must have had some dirt on someone to get this picture. He has been around since silent films, and a close friend of Raymond Novaro. Gilbert Rowland knew lots of people, off to the side, never the big lead, but in the action just the same.

Saw him once in a Chinese restaurant in Beverly Hills called the Fortune Cookie near the Beverly Center, on Fountain. 1979 I forget.

He and his wife came in and he sat in the back facing the café. He noticed that I noticed who he was and we just grinned at each other. I learned while living in Hollywood, to leave them alone, as they know that you know who they are. So at the super market, dry cleaners, and the West Hollywood car wash place, you nod and let them go about they lives.

Gilbert seemed amused that someone remembered him. My pleasure to make him grin three tables away.

So here is the French Line, and I found it amusing Gilbert Roland is in a musical with Jane Russell. He was great and when he pulls up his cuffs, there is the wrist band he usually wore. Women, breasts, gowns by the ton were coming at you 24/7 in this piece of 1950 fluff. Abrabs would go to hell if they were caught watching such a film.

Rowlands voice is dubbed, he lip cynics well, and carries himself, delivers his lines, very professional, and I hope he got tons of money.

He had a small house in Beverly Hills near down town Rodeo Drive. He managed his career well, stayed out of the papers, knew everyone from the golden age of film, Garbo would have been comfortable with him as well. Rowland adored John Gilbert, and took his first name, Gilbert from John.

Gibert Rowland is "Hollywood Royality", was a gentleman, kept everyone's secrets, was respected by stars, and I wish he had written a book. I believe he is entombed at Glendale Forest Lawn. John Gilbert is there as well He did a film with Barbara Stanwick, a western, and he should have gotten an Oscar for his performance.

I believe he had more fun and durability with his career, than being the big star, "hot dog", macho stud. Gilbert was macho without being TOO macho, and was fondly remember for his quality classic style and quiet masculine character actor. Bad and the Beauty, and Beneath the 12 Mile Reef are also good examples of his craft. BRAVO Gilbert Rowland. VSS