The French Line (1954)

"The French Line" was a Howard Hughes-produced opus in 3-D, designed to showcase star Jane Russell (you can make your own guesses what the purpose of putting this innocuous musical in 3-D was...I'll give you two!). To be kind, its no "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", to which it has some similarities.Jane plays a Texas girl who is a reluctant millionairess - she has inherited her late father's ranch, which happens to be sitting on copious oil fields. But poor Jane only wants a man who will love her for who she is, not her money. She bewails her lot to her friend and guardian, ranch hand Arthur Hunnicutt, when her latest beau, Craig Stevens, jilts her before heading to the altar because he, like all the others, can't handle having a rich wife. Hunnicutt talks her into not canceling her planned wedding cruise to Paris on the French line, the Liberte (as pronounced by Jane, the Li-burr-tay), only she decides to go incognito so she can catch a man who knows nothing about her money.Well, first of all, do you really think a millionairess who happens to look like Jane Russell would have such problems? This is purely a confection of a film and not worth worrying about plot lines, but its all just pretty damn silly. And unfortunately, someone decided it should be a musical except all the blah numbers are staged very awkwardly. Jane is beautiful, but hasn't much to work with here and leading man Gilbert Roland seems both a bit too mature as a match for her and definitely too Spanish to play a Frenchman (they try to pawn it off by giving him a Spanish mother). It all ends with a fashion show which just may be the most ludicrous of many far-fetched Hollywood fashion shows. And by now, all the naughtiness which got this opus condemned by the League of Decency and denied a Production seal (Jane's skimpy costumes and bumps & grinds) seem fit for a toddler to watch.

Gilbert Rowland must have had some dirt on someone to get this picture. He has been around since silent films, and a close friend of Raymond Novaro. Gilbert Rowland knew lots of people, off to the side, never the big lead, but in the action just the same.Saw him once in a Chinese restaurant in Beverly Hills called the Fortune Cookie near the Beverly Center, on Fountain. 1979 I forget.He and his wife came in and he sat in the back facing the café. He noticed that I noticed who he was and we just grinned at each other. I learned while living in Hollywood, to leave them alone, as they know that you know who they are. So at the super market, dry cleaners, and the West Hollywood car wash place, you nod and let them go about they lives.Gilbert seemed amused that someone remembered him. My pleasure to make him grin three tables away.So here is the French Line, and I found it amusing Gilbert Roland is in a musical with Jane Russell. He was great and when he pulls up his cuffs, there is the wrist band he usually wore. Women, breasts, gowns by the ton were coming at you 24/7 in this piece of 1950 fluff. Abrabs would go to hell if they were caught watching such a film.Rowlands voice is dubbed, he lip cynics well, and carries himself, delivers his lines, very professional, and I hope he got tons of money.He had a small house in Beverly Hills near down town Rodeo Drive. He managed his career well, stayed out of the papers, knew everyone from the golden age of film, Garbo would have been comfortable with him as well. Rowland adored John Gilbert, and took his first name, Gilbert from John.Gibert Rowland is "Hollywood Royality", was a gentleman, kept everyone's secrets, was respected by stars, and I wish he had written a book. I believe he is entombed at Glendale Forest Lawn. John Gilbert is there as well He did a film with Barbara Stanwick, a western, and he should have gotten an Oscar for his performance.I believe he had more fun and durability with his career, than being the big star, "hot dog", macho stud. Gilbert was macho without being TOO macho, and was fondly remember for his quality classic style and quiet masculine character actor. Bad and the Beauty, and Beneath the 12 Mile Reef are also good examples of his craft. BRAVO Gilbert Rowland. VSS

I am so stunned by the hilarious vulgarity of THE FRENCH LINE it is all I can rave about. Stacked to the hilt with personally supervised costumes and showgirl extras by bra master Howard Hughes, notorious for making glamorous RKO into a burlesque production line, the casting couch there must have needed new springs by the time this technicolour-3D extravaganza hit screens Nationwide in 1954. Seemingly made for the knee slapping amusement of rich Texan hicks and crafted by trapped RKO professionals who must have sighed at having to work on such hillbilly antics, THE FRENCH LINE is an oceangoing girlie show wrought into some semblance of a farce. Jane Russell is as usual her spunky insolent self and gets to showcase her famous torpedo talents in outfits leaving nothing not spangled. Her two main numbers near the end of the film are the ones that caused the outrage in '54 and today are probably the best drag queen numbers one could imagine. A masterpiece of tawdry tinsel, swim outfits and frocks. You'll titter all through THE FRENCH LINE, rather like Howard must have all through production. Hilarious! Republic must have realized RKO wanted the bumpkin musical films and realized Judy Canova was no Jane Russell.

The British publication "Radio Times" in a recent review said that Jane Russell was past her prime in this movie. Were they watching? She looks great, her singing is fantastic and she seems to really enjoy herself in this film.In my book this is one of the best musicals of the 1950's, but it's strength is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. Irreverent and vulgar, the plot is a feminist's nightmare and Jane Russell's "talents" are exploited to the full. As the picture was released originally in 3D, the tagline was "Jane will knock BOTH your eyes out!"One of the most censored movies in American history, the film was cut to shreds in many states. The final musical number "lookin' for trouble" is truly outrageous. But the overall spirit of the film is goodnatured and full of energy.Watch this film again and again!