Anna Lucasta (1949 film)
1949 film by Irving Rapper
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Anna Lucasta is a 1949 American film noir drama film directed by Irving Rapper and starring Paulette Goddard, William Bishop, John Ireland, Oscar Homolka, and Broderick Crawford. It was based on the popular play of the same name by Philip Yordan.[3]
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Arthur Laurents
| Anna Lucasta | |
|---|---|
| |
| Directed by | Irving Rapper |
| Screenplay by | Philip Yordan Arthur Laurents |
| Based on | the play Anna Lucasta by Philip Yordan |
| Produced by | Philip Yordan |
| Starring | Paulette Goddard William Bishop John Ireland Oskar Homolka Broderick Crawford |
| Cinematography | Sol Polito |
| Edited by | Charles Nelson |
| Music by | David Diamond |
| Color process | Black and white |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 86 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,500,000[1] |
| Box office | $1.7 million (rentals US/Canada)[2] |
Plot
When the Lucasta family in Pennsylvania receives a message that a friend's son Rudolf is coming to town to find a wife, they see a chance to make some money. The friend of the family, Mr. Strobel, will send $4,000 to accompany Rudolf. The family decides on trying to "sell" one of their own daughters, Anna, to Rudolf. The only one opposed to the idea is her alcoholic father, Joe. His daughter Stella's husband Frank (Anna's brother-in-law) persuades Joe to agree by beating him.
Anna is considered a black sheep of the family, living in Brooklyn and working in a bar called Noah's Ark for a living. She is attracted to a sailor named Danny Johnson, and when he tells her he has saved up enough money to go ashore, she believes he will ask her to marry him. But he doesn't. When Anna is asked by the family to return home, she reluctantly does so, having no other plausible alternative. Rudolf isn't as gullible as the family had thought. He is an educated man who plans to work hard on the family land to make it prosper while working as a teacher in a school. He takes an instant liking to Anna, but her father tries to persuade him he could do better. Angry with her father, she goes to a local bar for a drink.
Rudolf joins Anna in the bar and they end up having dinner together. Rudolf proposes to her the next day, but she doesn't give him an answer. On the farm she is reminded of when she used to live there when she was younger, and scolded by her father for kissing a boy, which caused her to leave her home. Haunted by these bad memories, she goes to the train station to leave town. Rudolf follows her once again, and persuades her to stay and marry him. He gives her the $4,000 he has with him, but the money is stolen by her family before their wedding.
When Rudolf and Anna are about to get married, sailor Danny arrives and asks for her. Joe talks to him and then goes to Anna and threatens to ruin Rudolf's reputation by disclosing details about Anna's previous life. Joe demands that Anna leave town with Danny immediately. Anna sees no other alternative than to leave with Danny and goes back to Brooklyn. But Rudolf doesn't give up. He tracks her down to Brooklyn and eventually discovers the bar where she works. He waits but she doesn't turn up, so instead he leaves a message that her father Joe has died and leaves.
When Anna arrives to the bar she gets the message and tries to contact him. She finds that he has left his hotel already, and loses all hope of reconciliation. When she leaves the bar after work, Rudolf is outside waiting for her.[4]
Cast
- Paulette Goddard as Anna Lucasta
- William Bishop as Rudolf Strobel
- John Ireland as Danny Johnson
- Oscar Homolka as Joe Lucasta
- Broderick Crawford as Frank
- Will Geer as Noah
- Gale Page as Katie
- Mary Wickes as Stella
- Whit Bissell as Stanley
- Lisa Golm as Theresa
- James Brown as Buster
- Dennie Moore as Blanche
- Anthony Caruso as Eddie
Production
Yordan's play was originally written about a white Polish-American family. It was subsequently revised as an all-black production, which debuted on Broadway in 1944. This production was a notable success and in November 1944 Hal Wallis offered a reported $150,000 for the film rights. Mervyn Le Roy wanted to make an all black version.[5] In March 1945 the possibility was floated of there being versions with a white cast and a black cast.[6]
Yordan decided to produce the movie himself through his own company, Security Pictures. He then sold these to Columbia.[7]
Irving Rapper wanted Susan Hayward in the lead but says Paulette Goddard "produced a letter promising her the part and it was too late for anyone to get out from under; we'd all signed to do it."[8]
In October 1947 Columbia were discussing making the film and the studio's investment was contingent upon Goddard playing the role.[9] This deal was finalised by the end of the year.[10]
Filming started 10 January 1949.[11]
Reception
Box office
The film earned theatrical rentals of $1.7 million in the US and Canada.[2]
Critical
Variety said the film "still retains its original vitality."[12]
The New York Times felt the story "has lost most of its electricity in film form" and the characters "are not nearly as spirited or convincing in their acting as the Negro group that brought the play to Broadway... Yordan has kept the dialogue surprisingly pungent, considering Production Code restrictions. However, he and Arthur Laurents might have compressed their thoughts somewhat. There is so much talk going on most of the time that, despite the able directorial assistance of Irving Rapper, a heavy, static quality pervades the production."[13]
See also
- List of American films of 1949
- Hilda Simms, who starred in the Broadway version
- Anna Lucasta (1958 film version with Eartha Kitt and Sammy Davis Jr.)