Although most film historians rate Frenchie as at least a partial remake of Destry Rides Again, you look on the film credits and you will see nary a mention of Max Brand and his western novel on which the famous James Stewart-Marlene Dietrich classic is based. It gives someone by the name of Oscar Brodney credit for an 'original story and screenplay. The estate of Max Brand could have sued.
But other than the name of the town of Bottleneck and the name of Shelley Winters title character a whole lot has changed. Joel McCrea is the Destry character renamed Tom Banning who cleaned up the bad elements in Bottleneck, but then left after his girlfriend Marie Windsor decided to marry John Emery the banker. He's coming back now.
But also coming to town is Shelley Winters who as a little girl saw her father murdered by his two partners, one of them Paul Kelly the other a silent partner. She's the notorious Frenchie Fairmount of New Orleans, owner and operator of the most posh gambling palace in that town and she's now come to Bottleneck to take the trade from Paul Kelly who owns a rival palace in nearby Chuck-a-luck. Winters arrives with able assistants Elsa Lanchester and John Russell.
Separate things bring McCrea and Winters back to Bottleneck, but soon they find they've a lot in common. McCrea has the Destry character down pretty good, albeit he's a little older than when Jimmy Stewart and later Audie Murphy played him.
As for Shelley Winters, she's one brassy lassie and she holds her own in the chick fight that Destry is so famous for. Her's is with Marie Windsor.
One thing Frenchie does miss is the sure comedy touch of George Marshall from the 1939 version. Still this one holds up quite nicely and McCrea and Winters and the rest of the cast do just fine.
But other than the name of the town of Bottleneck and the name of Shelley Winters title character a whole lot has changed. Joel McCrea is the Destry character renamed Tom Banning who cleaned up the bad elements in Bottleneck, but then left after his girlfriend Marie Windsor decided to marry John Emery the banker. He's coming back now.
But also coming to town is Shelley Winters who as a little girl saw her father murdered by his two partners, one of them Paul Kelly the other a silent partner. She's the notorious Frenchie Fairmount of New Orleans, owner and operator of the most posh gambling palace in that town and she's now come to Bottleneck to take the trade from Paul Kelly who owns a rival palace in nearby Chuck-a-luck. Winters arrives with able assistants Elsa Lanchester and John Russell.
Separate things bring McCrea and Winters back to Bottleneck, but soon they find they've a lot in common. McCrea has the Destry character down pretty good, albeit he's a little older than when Jimmy Stewart and later Audie Murphy played him.
As for Shelley Winters, she's one brassy lassie and she holds her own in the chick fight that Destry is so famous for. Her's is with Marie Windsor.
One thing Frenchie does miss is the sure comedy touch of George Marshall from the 1939 version. Still this one holds up quite nicely and McCrea and Winters and the rest of the cast do just fine.