The Flame of New Orleans (1941) User Reviews (17)

Possibly the Best film set in old New Orleans

[theowinthrop · 7/10 · 18 March 2005]

This is not a great film but it is entertaining and frothy. Rene Clair, like Jean Renoir, fled France for the United States and made movies in Hollywood. But Renoir concentrated on serious films, like "This Land is Mine" and "The Southerner". Clair made comedies, of which this and "I Married a Witch" were the best ones. In "Flame of New Orleans" Clare tackled a sex romp in the Big Easy of the 1840s. He succeeds in capturing the charm of the great town, and (with maybe one or two exceptions) produced the best film about New Orleans and it's Gallic flavor.

Marlene Dietrich is an international adventuress (we subsequently realize she has been as far from New Orleans as St. Petersburg, Russia). She is as sexually alluring as ever, and has got the pleasant attention of Roland Young a rich banker. While Young woos her she also attracts the attention of ship captain Bruce Cabot, who is more to her taste in form, but not in terms of money. She plays her game with Cabot and gets him into debt. Meanwhile she pursues a willing Young, only to first find a number of men who knew her in the past, and then find that Cabot is getting into her hair. So she tries to create a twin cousin situation. But this complicates the situation even more.

The character actors like Mischa Auer (frantically trying to retrieve his top hat before he gets challenged to a duel), or Melville Cooper (cornered by his loveless marriage wife, and ending up being unexpectedly blunt), or even Shemp Howard (who has the freshest wine cellar in New Orleans) have excellent moments to shine in this film's comedy. It is a marvelously funny confection which I recommend

Die Marlene-- Always great!

[artzau · 8/10 · 31 August 2003]

This is a delightful old film with a cast of characters, from Bruce Cabot, who plays the captain and romantic interest, to Andy Devine, Frank Jenks, Mischa Auer and a whole bunch of studio character actors. Roland Young, who delighted us in the original Topper with Cary Grant, plays the befuddled count who plans to marry Die Marlene on the pretext she's an innocent young darling. The scene where the New Orleans ladies take Marlene aside to give her a little lecture on the "burden of womanhood she'll have to endure" after her marriage is priceless, with the tiny smirk that plays across Marlene's face (given her well-known history, it makes it doubly funny). While this little film isn't (and wasn't)a great shake at the box office at the time, it is delightful to see Die Marlene, always beautiful in that classic, classy European sense, at her best.

Marlene Takes The Big Easy

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 23 June 2009]

Sandwiched in between some of her great films at Universal with John Wayne is this modest programmer for Marlene Dietrich that depends considerably on her charms to carry it off. Perhaps it might have been a much better film had the two leading men she wanted been available.

According to a recent biography of Marlene Dietrich, the two men she wanted for The Flame Of New Orleans were Cary Grant and Adolphe Menjou. She had worked with both before, Menjou in Morocco and Grant in Blonde Venus. She liked Menjou and sad to say MGM wouldn't make him available. At the time she and Cary Grant did not get along all that well, he played the other man in Blonde Venus. But in the interim he had gotten superstardom so Dietrich thought that Grant might prove to be a good screen partner now. Alas, that screen team was never to be.

Marlene and her maid Theresa Harris arrive in New Orleans where from the outset it's made plain to the viewer that Dietrich is out to hook a rich fish from the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. The one she looks to land is rich and fussy Roland Young and she does bait a trap for him. But a roistering sea captain played by Bruce Cabot spoils it all for her though eventually Young falls for her as expected.

Now if you can't figure out who she winds up with, there's something terribly wrong with you.

Cabot does give a strong performance as the captain, I'm sure he was a rougher type than Cary Grant would have been. Of course as was usual with Marlene and her leading man, the obligatory affair was had. But she also said she found Cabot to be something of a boor and dropped him quickly.

Theresa Harris had a very interesting and unusual role for a black actress of the time. She might be a maid, but she functions more like a partner in crime with Dietrich's schemes. She's nobody's fool in this film and even gets a love interest of sorts in Young's driver Clarence Muse.

The film did get an Oscar nomination for Best Art&Interior Direction and the sets were grand. Rene Clair did a very good job of conveying New Orleans of 1841. Still the film is minor league Dietrich and it could have been a lot better if she had gotten the players she wanted as co-stars.

utterly charming

[cherold · 7/10 · 27 January 2002]

Charming is the perfect word for this movie. Dietrich is at her best as she charms her two beaus, the score is charming, and Rene Clair brings the same light touch he showed the next year in I Married a Witch. Quite funny, but more than any thing else, charming.

Because they're cousins, identical cousins and you'll find....

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 29 July 2015]

Darling film starring Marlene Dietrich from 1941.

Flame of New Orleans takes place in -- right, New Orleans, in 1840, where Claire Ledoux, engaged to a banker, Giraud (Roland Young). Unfortunately for Claire, at a party, while she is up on stage singing, a man who knew her in Europe shows up. What he has to say is whispered in people's ears. By the time the song is through, so is Claire.

She gets out of it by telling her fiancée that they're talking about her cousin, who looks like her.

A sea captain, Robert LaTour (Bruce Cabot) owes Giraud money, so Giraud tells him that he will forgive the loan if LaTour can get this cousin removed and out to sea before the wedding.

Lots of great people in this, including Mischa Auer, Andy Devine, Laura Hope Crews, Franklin Pangborn, Theresa Harris, and Anne Revere.

Much of the movie takes place with a background derived from Donizetti's Lucia, the love duet in the beginning of the opera - in fact, there's a heavenly choir singing it at the end.

Marlene's clothes are beyond magnificent. Absolutely bedazzling with huge full skirts, sparkles, feathers - amazing. A must see for the costumes alone.

The whole cast is great, and Marlene is stunning as usual as she plays both her slutty cousin and the flirtatious Clare. Wait for the scene where Laura Hope Crews gives her a lecture on what she'll have to "endure" during marriage. Dietrich's face there is classic. And she was a class act all the way.

Well directed by Rene Clair.

A Fine Dietrich Film!

[Sylviastel · 7/10 · 26 March 2012]

French director, Rene Clair, went to Hollywood to direct German Marlene Dietrich in this role where she played a con-artist known as the Countess and/or Lili. The story is set in New Orleans in the 1800s and has a fabulous art direction with costumes and set designs that are first rate. The problem with this film is really in the writing. It never holds up to me. While I love the cast, Dietrich is supported by a first rate cast and crew of Hollywood's golden age of cinema where even character parts were done brilliantly. I enjoyed the relationship between the Countess and her African American maid, Clementine, in the film as her friend and confidante. The countess has too many suitors much like any Marlene Dietrich film. The one suitor is a poor sailor with a pet monkey and the other is Giraud, an older, wealthy but unattractive man. In this film, the Countess is expected to get married like all women are expected to do in this day and age. The film begins with a mystery of a wedding dress found in the Mississippi River. There are plenty of light hearted moments as well. Still, this film is fine to watch.

Cousins that look the same????

[AAdaSC · 6/10 · 24 May 2014]

Marlene D plays a dual role. As the Countess, she dresses like an ostrich and is a trickster who gets her way by fainting so she can bag a wealthy suitor. In her other role, she looks exactly the same yet seems to fool the rest of the cast. There you go, it can't be a good film. A Dietrich vehicle that has some amusing scenes at the beginning with potential suitor Bruce Cabot (Catour) resembling a Clark Gable type.

As always, Dietrich just glows star quality. Roland Young (Giraud) plays his part well as a wealthy, interested party and I also thought Anne Revere (Giraud's sister) and Melville Cooper (Giraud's brother-in-law) put in amusing, convincing performances.

As for the other characters, unfortunately, we get comedy sailors that include Andy "clear your throat" Devine (1st Sailor). Not funny. The better comedy comes from a surprising source – Mischa Auer (Zolotov). For a change, Mischa Auer doesn't miss the mark – he's funny in his role (the only time I can remember him successfully doing this) and Franklin Pangborn (Bellows) as Auer's European companion has that kind of face that screams comedy. He reminds me of one of my Portuguese cousins – she looks just like him.

It's a fluffy film that is completely unbelievable but entertains while it is going. I wouldn't recommend it, but it's OK - nothing too gripping going on.

Surprisingly excellent

[zetes · 9/10 · 1 May 2006]

René Clair lost some of his charm when he went to Hollywood, but chances were good that he couldn't lose it all. I quite love his 1942 film I Married a Witch, starring Veronica Lake. I think I like this Marlene Dietrich vehicle even better. Oh, this is a charmer, all right. The plot is too complicated to describe here, but the story is very clever and very entertaining. The film is sweet, romantic and quite funny. The cast is exceptional. Bruce Cabot is surprisingly great as the leading man. You might remember him as the block of wood who won out over the monkey in King Kong. He must have gained some talent as he aged; he's much more handsome at this point, and has an effortless charm, reminiscent of Clark Gable. Roland Young plays his rival. One thing I'll always love about Golden Age Hollywood is the bevy of character actors, something we have entirely lost in the present. Here we have Mischa Auer, Anne Revere, Andy Devine, Theresa Harris and Franklin Pangborn. I had thought for sure Morocco was the best reason to own Universal's Marlene Dietrich set, but, so far, this is the best.

Dietrich Toying With Men Again

[iquine · 6/10 · 6 April 2019]

(Flash Review)

While not the most memorable film, it is another chance to see the fashionable Dietrich in an assortment of stylish outfits while getting to see her in the old New Orleans setting. Once again she is toying with men at her whim. Her goal is to strategically grab the interest of one wealthy gent yet concurrently a charming sea captain also enters the scene and grabs her interest. During her shenanigans, she tricks them that she has a cousin that looks the exact same which gets her out of some sticky situations. As usual, how will things shake out? Overall, this had some fine moments but didn't draw me in enough; perhaps too fluffy?

A fire that barely simmers.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 4 March 2013]

Dietrich gets the most idiotic of all stories in this comedy/melodrama about a broke French noblewoman engaged to a wealthy New Orleans banker (Roland Young of "Topper" fame) and posing as her trashy cousin so she can continue to meet rough and tough ship's captain Bruce Cabot on the side. The bulk of the insipid plot line is told through the gossipy sniveling of the wealthy townsfolk, particularly Russian visitor Mischa Auer and his prissy sidekick Franklin Pangborn, with Laura Hope Crews and Anne Revere as Young's annoying family thrown in, kinsfolk which rightfully make Dietrich wince. Andy Devine and a cute little monkey provide what little humor there is.

The black servant played by Theresa Harris is a breath of fresh air, a beautiful and intelligent young lady not chubby and flamboyant like Louise Beavers and Hattie McDaniels' characters, or dimwitted like diminutive Butterfly McQueen, but a realistic and likable young lady who just happens to be black. There's a cute romantic subplot for her and Young's valet, played by Rex Evans. The non-stereotypical manner in which these characters are treated is a rare delight in old movies.

Told in flashback as if it were one of John Nesbitt's Passing Parade shorts (MGM's series of historical based films made throughout the 1930's and 40's), this claims to be a New Orleans legend, but there isn't anything in this plot to indicate any interest other than local gossip. A bit concerning dress store clerk Gus Schilling modeling a see-through ladies negligee is comical with its gay insinuations, as if the presence of sniffy Pangborn and sleazy gigolo Auer wasn't already.

Marlene Dietrich and Rene Clair...ooh la la!

[JLRMovieReviews · 10/10 · 15 February 2010]

You see a wedding dress floating in the ocean, and the story begins of how it came to be there. Marlene Dietrich lives basically upon the kindness and generosity of men. She sets her sights on Roland Young (from "Topper"), who has scads of money. She also has a particular habit of fainting, which she uses to her advantage, whenever it serves her purpose or whenever she doesn't know else to get out of a particular situation. Roland starts to pursue her, but doesn't realize he was already picked from the beginning. She tries to be hard to get, but just enough to get what she wants.

Enter Bruce Cabot who of course meets her in such a way as to antagonize her without them actually seeing each other. When her plans get mixed up with Roland and her reputation gets compromised by a rumor, she resorts to drastic measures.

I had never seen this and loved it, obviously by my rating. Marlene and Bruce's chemistry, its use of time and place, the imagery and colors of the clothes of the time, and its expressive grand music made for the most perfect 80 minutes spent on a movie in a long time.

Featuring a slew of recognizable faces including Mischa Auer, Andy Devine, Franklin Pangborn, Melville Cooper, Laura Hope Crews ("Aunt Pittypat" from "Gone with the Wind"), Anne Revere (Oscar winner for "National Velvet" as the mother), and Eddie Quillan, this is one movie not to be missed.

Eddie Quillan? You don't know him? Sure, you do. You've seen him. You just didn't know it. He was a prolific supporting actor in movies in bit parts like this one and also made memorable appearances in 50s and 60s TV shows, like "The Addams Family." His most famous role was probably that in "The Grapes of Wrath."

Directed by Rene Clair who also made "Le Million", which I reviewed, and "A Nous La Liberte," (some say that is his masterpiece, but I have yet to see, but will) this is yet another example of Dietrich at her sexiest, and all Dietrich fans and film lovers should buy the Marlene Dietrich DVD collection with this on it and sit back and see one of the greatest screen icons ever!

A little bit better than average Dietrich

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 7 January 2007]

Normally, the "über-vamp" role that Marlene Dietrich plays in this film is exactly the sort of clichéd role I hate in a film. However, in this case having her play some supremely beautiful "goddess" actually works since the film is so often played for laughs and doesn't take itself too seriously--a definite plus in my opinion. As a result, it's a very good romantic-comedy that is worth a look.

Marlene plays a "gold-digger"--you know, a woman who is out to snag a rich husband and romance is at best secondary. When she meets older and very ordinary looking short rich guy (Roland Young), she instantly pretends to be in love with him. At about the same time, she also meets a rugged ship's captain (Bruce Cabot). You can tell that sparks are flying between them, but she resists because he isn't rich and so she ardently pursues Young throughout most of the film.

However, all this is thrown for a loop when a couple foreigners see Marlene and recognize her as a "good time girl" they'd met in St. Petersburg, Russia. So, in order to convince Young that she is as sweet and innocent as she's pretended to be, she invents the notion that this is a cousin. But, when he isn't totally convinced, Marlene begins to play both roles. This is EXACTLY the sort of funny situations this movie desperately needed to inject some life into it. As a result, it's cute, well acted and paced and one of Dietrich's better, though not so famous, films.

We've Seen This Many Times Before

[Michael_Elliott · 3 July 2016]

The Flame of New Orleans (1941)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Claire Ledeux (Marlene Dietrich) is the most beautiful and most wanted woman in New Orleans. She can pretty much have her pick of any man and sure enough there are two of them wanting her. One is a successful and rich businessman (Roland Young) who could offer her anything. The other is a sea captain (Bruce Cabot) with plenty to offer.

The "flame" had clearly ran out by the time this movie was made. If you've never seen a Dietrich movie then you'll probably enjoy this one slightly more but if you've seen many of her films then you're going to notice this plot from pretty half a dozen earlier films. Once again we get a pretty standard plot that has Dietrich looking beautiful, seducing two men and of course she also gets a song to sing.

The biggest problem with THE FLAME OF NEW ORLEANS is the fact that there's just nothing here that we haven't already seen before. This certainly gives the film a very dull flavor because there's just nothing here to keep us overly amused and especially when you consider that the Dietrich-Cabot-Young love triangle isn't nearly the best we've seen from the previous films. All three cast members certainly do a good job with their performances but when there's no much of a story there's just so much you can do.

Director Rene Clair adds a little style to the picture but there's just nothing overly special here.

Clair de Lunatic

[writers_reign · 5/10 · 9 January 2014]

Thankfully this dire entry has escaped my attention until now. I was aware of its existence, knew nothing about it other than the title and the leading lady, had no desire to see it and even if I had it never played any theatre in my vicinity or was screened on TV. How lucky can you get. It finally surfaced on DVD and as it was available on loan rather than for sale I decided to check it out. Not one of my best decisions. Although you'll go a long way to find someone who loves French cinema as much, let alone more than I do, I have to say that on the whole I've never understood the fuss made about Rene Clair; the films of his that I have enjoyed - Port de Lilas, Les Grandes Manouvres, and a couple more have enjoyable without being exceptional and I can name a good dozen French directors I prefer, such as Carne, Duvivier, Pagnol, Chenal, etc. The best thing about Flame of New Orleans is the supporting cast and by that I don't mean the joke leading man John Cabot, I'm thinking more of Ann Revere, Mischa Auer, Laura Hope Crews, Franklin Pangborn, etc. The plot is banal the two leads atrocious, the score a non-starter. There are those who thought the TOAST of New Orleans was rubbish, they should try this.

Gold-digger of fire

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 17 February 2020]

Marlene Dietrich, ever since seeing her for the first time in the brilliant 'Witness for the Prosecution' (where she gives a very memorable performance), was a very engaging actress and performer. Especially in the 30s, where she was in a lot of films that played to her strengths. Also like some of Rene Clair's other films, my personal favourite (and my first watched film of his) being one of the best versions of one of Agatha Christie's best books 'And Then There Were None'.

'The Flame of New Orleans' is worth seeing, if more a one-time watch than repeated viewings worthy. Dietrich did much better before and since, though she is not disgraced here, and the same goes for Clair who doesn't come off too badly still either. There are a good deal of good things here, including Dietrich, but some quite serious drawbacks that take away from the enjoyment somewhat. Making for an inoffensive and above average if not much more than that film.

Admittedly the story can be a little over-complicated and in other places it can be quite flimsy, the central triangle could have done with more personality perhaps too and the ending can be seen from miles off.

Did find Andy Devine a bit wearing at times and his comedy overdone.

However, 'The Flame of New Orleans' benefits greatly from classy production values, the sets and production design being particularly great. The music is immensely appealing to listen to and fits the film's frothy nature very nicely. The script is gently witty, charmingly frothy and has a lively energy. While the story can easily be criticised, at least to me it wasn't dull and it has a genuine charm underneath all the froth.

Clair's direction has the right lightness of touch, and doesn't get pedestrian. Furthermore, Dietrich is luminous and brings a lot of grace and verve to the lead role. Roland Young and particularly Bruce Cabot make the most of their fairly sketchy characters, having quite nice chemistry with Dietrich. The rest of the cast do good jobs, with particularly amusing turns from Theresa Harris and Mischa Auer.

Altogether, good frothy fun though with not everything working. 7/10

Fun and silly

[HotToastyRag · 7/10 · 1 June 2021]

Marlene Dietrich in a comedy? Marlene Dietrich without her famously low voice? You'll have to see it to believe it: The Flame of New Orleans. In this one, it's as if she's been dubbed; her voice is high and sweet. She's a high-class lady who's secretly poor, in search of a rich husband. She hopes to hook Roland Young, but the handsome, charming rogue Bruce Cabot catches her eye. He knows it, too, and he constantly thwarts her romance with Roland.

There's a very fun flavor to this silly movie, from the upbeat, flouncy music to the gorgeous gowns Marlene gets to wear. She's constantly lying and enacting schemes to fool men and get her way, with the help of her devoted maid, Theresa Harris. In one scene, she pretends to have an argument with someone and throw him out of her house, all for the benefit of another man waiting to be let in. In another, she dons a disguise and pretends to be an entirely different person (which is where her low voice makes an appearance). If you're a Marlene fan, don't miss this one. I don't even like her and I enjoyed it quite a bit. It's frivolous and unrealistic, but very frilly and silly.

Delightful romp starring the divine Dietrich!

[cricket-14 · 9/10 · 8 May 1999]

Marlene Dietrich plays in a plot device which is not so unusual - an actress pretending to be more than one person in a film (Garbo did it in "Two Faced Woman", Katherine Hepburn in "Quality Street", etc.). But the inimitable Dietrich lends her own very special charms to the idea.

Many amusing scenes - one of my favorites is where Marlene throws her gorgeous wedding dress into a river! Zounds!