Bright Leaf

This 1950 film starred Gary Cooper, Lauren Bacall and Patricia Neal in the leading roles and brought drama within the tobacco industry, although in the 50s it was okay to smoke. Doubt this film could make it this day and age.

Interesting to see real-life lovers Cooper and Neal tear up the scenery with their love scenes. Cooper seemed a bit on the reserved side even though he was out for revenge. But, that's Coop. He's a master of do nothing on the screen and manages to hold his own. Spencer Tracy is another one of those dynamic actors. Here he plots to take over the tobacco industry from a man (splendidly played by that veteran character actor of distinction, Donald Crisp) who in the past had run him out of town for kissing his daughter (yes, just kissing) played by the lovely Patricia Neal.

In the meantime Coop courts long time girl friend, Lauren Bacall, somewhat miscast in this, for money to start up a cigarette making factory invented by Jeff Corey, another great actor. Lauren doesn't look her best in this. How can we forget all those marvelous Bogart/Bacall films with her slinky hair and sultry body. In this her hair is up and curled and her gowns of the period don't look good on her. Bring Baby back. She doesn't have the chemistry with Cooper as she did with Bogart. And obviously the chemistry was flying with Neal and Cooper instead.

Also in the cast are Jack Carson, in a small and not so well written role that wasted this fine actor. Gladys George (remember her in MADAME X) was also wasted in a thankless role.

However, it's fine drama of the time and good to see the stars playing out their roles.

I prefer to remember Coop in such films as SERGEANT YORK, FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, SARATOGA TRUNK, FOUNTAINHEAD, HIGH NOON and ALONG CAME JONES.

Gary Cooper plays Brant Royle, a guy from the wrong side of the tracks who sets out to conquer the cigarette market at the turn of the century, whatever the cost. He's pitted against the Southern Aristocracy who've owned the market for generations. His only ally is Lauren Bacall, as the town "bad girl", but that doesn't stop him from pursuing the daughter of his worst enemy: Patricia Neal as the cool embodiment of aristocracy.

It's fairly heavy going through most of the film. There is some technical stuff about the tobacco business, but mostly it's about Royle's emotional conflicts: Love vs. social climbing; his conscience vs his business sense; what to do when achieving your dreams isn't enough; loyalty vs expedience; etc. It's all rather slow and humorless, not at all gripping.

Cooper is a good enough actor to keep you watching through all this even though his character is basically unlikeable, but Patricia Neal is the best reason to watch the film. The best moments of the film, the only ones that make it worth watching, are when she drops the icy mask of aristocratic poise and reveals her true character and motivations. That part it genuinely gripping. Bacall is likeable, but doesn't make an equal impact, and doesn't really seem to belong there. Perhaps it's because she looks terrible in the period wardrobe (19th century clothes were not designed for tall, skinny women).

It's also historically interesting to see a movie about the tobacco industry made before they found out about nicotine causing cancer. Nobody seems to think cigarettes are anything but a harmless indulgence and a cash cow.

Brant Royle (Gary Cooper) returns to what was once his father's tobacco farm before Major James Singleton (Donald Crisp) bought the father out in a foreclosure in his bid at concentrating all the prime tobacco land under his ownership. The film boils down to a contest between Crisp's Old South and Cooper's New South over the invention of the machine by Jeff Corey as John Barton that enables the mass manufacture of cigarettes, a direct challenge to the cigar industry, which occurs as the nineteenth century recedes into the twentieth. In on the initial investment in what would become the cigarette craze are Lauren Bacall as what appeared to be a higher class prostitute and Jack Carson as a traveling con-man. Patricia Neal as Singleton's only daughter is the most memorable part in the film which seems to want to come down on Cooper's side but turns him into a raving capitalist monopolist who always had a desire for Neal and another desire to get even with her father, which leads to pretty high dose of melodrama.

The subject matter of this film, the tobacco industry, is a subject that makes this a bit dated. Back in 1950, it worked fine up on the big screen but today some might see these folks as mass murderers.

When the movie begins, Brant Royle (Gary Cooper) arrives back in his home town in North Carolina. He's been gone for many years and he's back to settle his uncle's estate. However, the local tobacco czar, the Major (Donald Crisp), has decided that Brant is not welcome and makes it very clear. But, around the same time, a smart inventor (Jeff Corey) approaches Brant with an automated cigarette rolling machine. Soon, Brant is rich and slowly the Major and his old money are being driven into the ground.

At the same time, one woman loves Brant and another completely cold and indifferent. So, naturally he ignores the nice woman (Lauren Bacall) and chases the nasty one...the Major's daughter (Patricia Neal). Why does he want this cold, conniving and annoying woman? Perhaps he wants to do to her what he metaphorically wants to do to the Major...who knows?

Eventually, Brant is able to get everything he wants...wealth, power and the girl. However, in the process he becomes a heartless, nasty jerk-face. He also manages to destroy the good will of his friends and is eventually left an empty man. What's next? See the film.

In many ways, this reminds me of previous films like "Citizen Kane", "Honky Tonk" and "Edward, My Son"...three films about guys who do anything in order to gain power and yet lose everything that's really important in the process. It's a timeless morality tale and the more you watch, the more you are just waiting to see the mighty fall due to their own awfulness and arrogance. Fortunately, it does end a bit differently...there isn't exactly a 'Rosebud' moment.

Overall, an interesting and well acted epic from Warner Brothers. Better than I expected...mostly because occasionally the script caught me by surprise...and in good ways.

By the way, Lauren Bacall's character is described as running a 'boarding house' but she clearly is a madame with a stable full of prostitutes when the film begins. I found these euphemisms a bit funny but understand that this was all done to comply with the rigid Production Code.

I think that Warner Brothers liked the performance that Gary Cooper gave in Edna Ferber's Saratoga Trunk which was released under their auspices a few years earlier. So when Cooper signs with Warner Brothers, Bright Leaf which is about the tobacco industry which has an Ferber like quality to it seemed perfect for him.

It didn't turn out that unfortunately. Brant Royle may be the most unsympathetic character Gary Cooper who was THE archetypal screen hero ever played. He's come back to his home which is in a valley in the tobacco growing country of North Carolina looking for vengeance on Donald Crisp the tobacco baron who ruined his father. All he has as the family heir is a closed factory. But when Crisp refuses to take an interest in Jeff Corey's new cigarette rolling machine, Cooper latches on to Corey and with medicine show doctor Jack Carson to sell the product, the three form a partnership.

Lauren Bacall who runs the town's house of joy with Gladys George helps kick start the firm with a financial investment. She likes Cooper well enough, but he's got eyes on Patricia Neal who is Crisp's daughter. Neal is a southern to the manor born heiress like Bette Davis in Jezebel and Vivien Leigh in Gone With The Wind. Those are high maintenance women and Cooper finds out just how high maintenance she is before the film concludes.

Though this is a Gary Cooper film, the female co-stars really steal this film from the men. Neal and Bacall are whom you watch and remember from Bright Leaf and of course Gladys George who is never bad in anything.

Though Bright Leaf is about a typical Edna Ferber empire builder the ending is anything like what you would find in a Ferber novel. Bright Leaf is a bit too melodramatic for my taste, but fans of the stars should find it good.