Bright Leaf (Warner) tells the story of the rise of the cigarette, but it is a movie that is neither firm nor fully packed. Laid in North Carolina in the 18905, and based on Foster Fitz-Simons' historical novel, it leans heavily on such standbys as the rakehell hero (Gary Cooper), the bosomy belle of the Old South (Patricia Neal) and the brazen hussy (Lauren Bacall), who is presented as the madam of what is delicately described as a "boardinghouse for ladies."
Cooper, in a string tie and Stetson, rides into town to resume his family's feud with Donald Crisp, the local tobacco...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
