User reviews

Not on the same level as The Searchers or Red River or even Hondo, But The Fighting Kentuckian IS an enjoyable film to watch.

I don't know how accurate the history really is, but I do know that the remnants of Napoleon's band of loyal followers DID establish a community in the Southern part of the US at about the same time that Andrew Jackson was fighting The Battle of New Orleans with the help of, (although not mentioned in this film), Jean Laffite who may have been a pirate, but preferred to be called a free-booter.

Vera Hruba Ralston is the lovely daughter of one of Napoleon's most important Generals. She is quite charming here. Her Czech accent could pass for French.

John Wayne looks marvelous in leather and delivers his lines like a true straight-man when partnered with Oliver Hardy. That is a side-kick combo like no other and worth the price of admission.

The film contains many site gags, but my favorite is the one where Wayne and Hardy pretend to be surveyors and Hardy ends up in a pond.

My favorite one liner in The Fighting Kentuckian is the one where John Breen (John Wayne), after being shot while surveying, comes to a cabin of French settlers, and is discovered by the men who shoot him. They offer him a drink, "Have a shot?" they ask. Breen replies as he mounts his horse, "No thanks, just had one..." and holds up his wounded arm.

There is no point in summarizing the plot line, it is only there to allow John Wayne to kiss Vera Ralston, in the moonlight illuminating the patio of her mansion, watched by her father, the general! That kiss is one of those patented "take her to the moon" kisses that Wayne gave select lucky ladies. (Those lucky ladies reeled for hours after.)

Oliver Hardy is the third part of this delightful three-some. There is action when the French are attacked by the evil river-men who want their land, and are in turn repelled by the Fighting Kentuckians,(the whole kit and kaboodle),lead by a trumpet-blowing Hardy.

When the film first came out it was a smash-hit, and it is easy to see why. There is an easy humor, gallantry and romance here that I miss in modern films. Films now are so message-conscience and so full of unappealing, gratuitous nudity and sex, that it's fun to relax with a film that suggests much more than it shows and does it with style and a wink of the eye.

In The Fighting Kentuckian John Wayne steps back a couple of generations on the American Frontier from where he usually has his movie roles to play a frontier soldier. He's one of the Kentucky riflemen who saw action in the Indian wars and the Battle of New Orleans with Andrew Jackson. His company is going home to Kentucky to be de-mobilized. But in a town in Alabama called Demopolis, Wayne gets a bit sidetracked by the lovely Vera Hruba Ralston.

Ralston is the daughter of Hugo Haas who plays one of Napoleon's former generals who is now leading a party of French exile settlers who have settled on land granted to them in Demopolis. The problem is that the French settlers are being set up for a big con game by a quartet of villains, Marie Windsor, Paul Fix, John Howard, and Grant Withers. Because of Wayne's growing involvement with Ralston he and sidekick Oliver Hardy get drawn into the problems of the settlers.

That's right I did say Oliver Hardy. While partner Stan Laurel was having health problems Hardy did this film with John Wayne and another, Riding High, with Bing Crosby. It's a different Ollie we see in The Fighting Kentuckian, not the know it all forever getting hoisted on his own petard by his bumbling partner Laurel. For most of the film he's a traditional sidekick to Wayne in the Gabby Hayes tradition. However there is one scene where Ollie gets to use the Duke as a substitute Stan Laurel. Wayne and Hardy sneak into a party given by Haas as musicians, fiddlers to be precise. Hardy actually plays, but Wayne is going to fake it. That is until the piece they're playing calls for a solo. As each musician does his bit, the expressions on Wayne's face are pure Stan Laurel. Ollie who was never the creative one in their partnership had to have coached Wayne on this. He does all the traditional Stan Laurel shtick, but cry. It's very funny, totally not what you would expect from John Wayne. It's the highlight of the film for me.

On the negative side the film is a bit overplotted. The quartet of villains mentioned above are all not quite working in tandem. Each one has his own agenda and it makes the film a bit hard to follow.

Still I believe the Duke's fans will enjoy a somewhat different John Wayne and Laurel and Hardy fans would appreciate Wayne's attempts at a salute to Stan. I think Ollie worked better with the Duke than he did with Harry Langdon in Zenobia.

By 1949 Laurel and Hardy were all but finished (we don't talk about 'Atoll K') but Oliver Hardy, always hard up, needed to work. Hence this unique but worthwhile turn as a genial Southron in George Waggner's middling-good oater.

John Wayne-- Republic's chief asset and now his own producer-- and Vera Hruba Ralston, its boss's wife-- were co-starring in a slightly unusual western. It is set in 1819, heyday of Andrew Jackson's 'manifest destiny' expansionism. French settlers in the Deepest South, Napoleonic exiles, were slogging it out with English-speakers for the ownership of a bit of Creole country.

Wayne and Hardy, attired like Davy Crocketts, are teamed as old Kentuckian pals, veterans of the Battle of New Orleans. Now they're on the loose in Alabama and (since this was still the gallant, humorous Wayne of post-'Stagecoach' vintage) assisting French settlers against larcenous land barons such as John Howard.

Contrary to what lazy film writers maintain, 'Repulsive Pictures', as some jaded employees called it, was never a pure Poverty Row outfit. By the late 1940s it was careful to keep Wayne's market value up by attention to production values, a policy which culminated in 'The Quiet Man'. Here gleaming photography by Lee Garmes and George Antheil's score enhance the Frenchified interest of the mise en scene, and there's a surfeit of plot. (Incidentally Vera Ralston is no worse than many a Maureen O'Sullivan either, despite the cries of uxoriousness against Herbert Yates, Mr Ralston.)

Once again the factor that lifted Wayne above the Audie Murphys and Randolph Scotts is visible abundantly: the charm and grace he cannot help exhibiting, even though he'd have knocked a man down for mentioning them. The lightness and assurance he projects makes it not crazy to compare him with Cary Grant-- who was also at his most beguiling when portraying embarrassment, despite his reputation for smoothness. It has kept many of Wayne's seemingly routine pictures fresh when more pompous major productions have long since become fossilised.

Hardy's main job is to inject slapstick or advise and admonish his chum when Wayne gets too romantic, but he is involved in the mechanics of the plot too. He does so well one feels that if 'Babe' had been less fond of the golf course and in better health, he could have followed many funny men before him into a second life as a character actor.

Used to equality in a double act, Hardy works well with Big John: there's a genuine warmth between them, since unlike too many comics Ollie does not try to dominate their interchanges. Nor does he use the broader schticks of his peerless partnership: he does not mutely appeal to the audience or speak in that slow, absurdly dignified way he uses to challenge Stan's stupidities. He is given business with hats, eats too much, twiddles his incongruously delicate fingers, falls in a river as in 'Way Out West'. But it's all done lightly; Willie Paine's a bit of a clown but not a gross buffoon.

Seeing Babe slugging and being slugged is novelty enough, and there is poignancy in his last shot: marching away at the wedding, as if bidding farewell unknowingly to his Hollywood career. It's an unexpected coda, a box office success to boot, and a heartwarming one after years stuck in unworthy programmers with Stan for Darryl F Zanuck.

Back in the late '70s-early '80s, my local station of WBRZ-2 had aired the "John Wayne Theatre"-which showed many of his movies, primarily from Republic. This was one of the movies from that studio-Wayne's home for a great many years. When stumbling into this one on a Sunday afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised to see among the players one Oliver Hardy-a rare film he made without his usual teammate Stan Laurel. I taped this picture in the mid '90s off of American Movie Classics but didn't watch it until now. I'll just now say that Mr. Hardy is quite an amusingly pleasing presence doing some of his familiar mannerisms but also a little different from his "Ollie" character. The highlight may be a fiddler-playing sequence of which Hardy's Willie Payne can play but Wayne's character can't! There's more but I'll just say go ahead and watch The Fighting Kentuckian if the mood fits you! P.S. This version had wraparounds by host Nick Clooney-George's father. In the beginning one, he mentions leading lady Vera Ralston had given Hardy a gift of a deck chair-specially made to fit his girth! In the one after the movie, he erroneously mentions this was Ollie's final film-his actual very last one was Atoll K (Utopia in the U.S.), once more with Stan Laurel. Oh, and since one of the locations of The Bluegrass State mentioned in the movie was Lexington, I have to mention that my family had briefly lived there in '74-'75 and my youngest sister and sibling was born there.

John Wayne's second effort as star/producer (after "Angel and the Badman", in 1947), "The Fighting Kentuckian" is a VERY enjoyable tale, set in 1818 Alabama, of coonskin-capped Wayne, part of the Kentucky militia, falling for French immigrant Vera Ralston (in her second film with Duke), and discovering a plot to swindle the French community (composed of ex-officers of Napoleon, and their families) out of their land, by aristocrat John Howard and ruthless river boss Grant Withers.

What truly makes this film 'special' for me is Wayne's sidekick, portrayed by the legendary Oliver Hardy, of 'Laurel and Hardy' fame. Hardy, while a friend of Wayne, had only worked 'solo' once in a feature film in over twenty years (1939's "Zenobia"), and it took a LOT of coaxing (and Stan Laurel's 'blessing'), to get him to accept the role...and what a pleasure he is, to watch! Wayne and Hardy have a rich, warm chemistry, and the rotund comedian, with his infectious smile and Georgia drawl, makes even minor scenes (like swapping recipes with Ralston's mother) a joy.

With a first-rate supporting cast including Philip Dorn, Hugo Haas, Wayne 'regulars' Paul Fix, Jack Pennick, and Hank Worden, and Marie Windsor (who looks eerily like John Howard, in my opinion!), "The Fighting Kentuckian" is, despite the 'pans' you'll see in some of the reviews posted, one of my favorite John Wayne films...He was never more charming than you'll find him, here!

An American Western-comedy; A story set in Alabama, 1812, about a Kentucky trooper who makes a long journey homeward with his army confrère and becomes involved with a robber baron's plan to deprive hundreds of French army refugees of land promised by Congress, and he acts to prevent the villain's marriage to the daughter of a former French general. This is a routine Western with incessant chases and gunfire. The romance is stilted with no chemistry between John Wayne and Vera Ralston, who sounds more Czech than French. However, it is a boisterous distraction with sparkling photography, and the excellent comedy performances shine through its medicore storyline. John Wayne has screen presence, and his light humour complements the piece very well, never overshadowing Oliver Hardy's marvellous physical comedy, which is a treat to watch: two great light comedy performances. As an aside, though, Hardy is only slightly pugnacious here, which will feel muted in comparison to his high acclaim for his other pictures acting alongside Stan Laurel.

John Wayne (Breen) fancies Vera Ralston (Fleurette). Oliver Hardy (Willie) gets the annoying comedy sidekick role. Ralston fancies Wayne but is engaged to John Howard (Blake). I think we all know how things will pan out. This love story plays out against a story of land stealing in early 1800s Alabama.

I found myself drifting off to daydream land on two occasions within the first half hour! Nothing happens in this goddam film and the cast seem to mercilessly bore the audience with a stupid song to the tune of "She'll Be Coming Round The Mountain". Stop singing! At the end of the film, we get some horses running about and some shooting but it's all rather meaningless.

In the only interesting part of the film, Oliver Hardy plays the violin and it is quite an impressive moment. Unfortunately, one scene cannot carry a whole film. The plot involving John Wayne is pretty stupid as he abandons his military outfit to chase after a girl, and they then come back to rescue him when he is in trouble. Typical John Wayne nonsense.

I cannot believe other reviewers of this film when they say that they enjoyed this film. They are talking complete rubbish. This film is boring. Here are 5 better Westerns from the same year, 1949 - "Colorado Territory", "Lust For Gold", "Roughshod", "Bad Men Of Tombstone" and "Hellfire". A far better use of your time.

This movie is pure Republic Pictures B-movie all the way, with relatively low production values, Vera Ralston (girlfriend of the CEO) and lots of action. And this is not necessarily a bad thing (apart from the lousy acting by Ralston), as the movie is highly entertaining. So, if you just turn off your brain and enjoy, this is a terrific film. I particularly love seeing Oliver Hardy playing a rare supporting actor role very late in his career. Is he believable? Not in the least. But, he's funny and quite the sidekick to John Wayne. The plot, such as it is, involves Wayne falling for Cajun Ralston (a Swedish actress playing a Creole woman?!) and getting into a wide variety of scraps along the way. Not much more to it than that but it is so much fun, who cares?! I can forgive all this because the film is somehow charming and memorable.

The leading lady was not a good fit. This could have been a 8+ star rating if not for Vera Ralston. She was the only weak link in this movie with poor acting and a voice that was like nails on a black board to me. On the positive side,Wayne and Hardy were a good team. The story was good and had real potential. If not for her I would have totally enjoyed this movie.

John Wayne plays a frontiersman, who partners up with Oliver Hardy! This seems strange at first, but they have a great rapport and act well together. Vera Ralston is the love interest, and while she's pretty, she's not a great actress and is merely passable in the role. There's lots of fighting and heroic action in this movie, and it's a way to pass an enjoyable hour or two. John is at his most charismatic here.

Enjoyed this film mainly because it featured a great comedian of mine, Oliver Hardy, (Willie Paine) who was the original team of Laurel & Hardy. Oliver Hardy only appear in this film because he was a good friend of John Wayne who produced this film and he also got the okay from his sidekick, Stan Hardy. John Wayne, plays the role of John Breen who falls in love with a very charming French Lady named Fleurette De Marchard, ( Vera Ralston) and is not really accepted by the French officers who protect her and also her French lover who has intentions of marrying her. John Breen constantly seeks after Fleurette and she in turns shows great love and affection toward him and he never gives up trying to seek her as his wife. Great film and not the average type of Western film. Enjoy

After Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, 340 French families sought exile in Alabama. John Wayne plays brave Kentucky rifleman John Breen, whose love for a French general's daughter leads him to defend the settlers against his romantic rival, the wealthy Blake Randolph.

John Wayne is joined by Oliver Hardy as his sidekick in this typically entertaining Republic western laced with the right dose of humour, adventure, drama, romance and some double dealing villainy - the story is built up well which eventually conglomerates into action, which is well done. The Fighting Kentuckian is not considered as a classic as the Ford and Howard Hawk westerns, but its aim is to deliver some entertainment, no more, no less. Vera Ralston is charming as usual and gets unfairly criticised for her acting. I have seen worse- even a ventriloquist's dummy could do better.

A band of Kentuckian soldiers are on their way back home from a war expedition when cupid targets one of the soldiers John Breen (John Wayne) and a French settler Fleurette De Marchand (Vera Ralston) at Mobile, Alabama, a coastal town.

The fun and adventure ensues further on the French settlement at Demopolis, Alabama. Romance is very much in the air, however, the shrewd and greedy local influentials are hands in glove to usurp the land earmarked for French settlements.

Oliver Hardy as Willie Paine will surely make you laugh. The movie is in black and white, which has its own beauty.