Matialth
Good concept, poorly executed.
Plustown
A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.
Ogosmith
Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.
SnoopyStyle
It's 1894. Brant Royle (Gary Cooper) has returned to Kingsmont seeking revenge. His late father's tobacco business was destroyed by Maj. James Singleton (Donald Crisp). Brant encounters Margaret Jane Singleton (Patricia Neal). Margaret mischievously stirs up trouble with her protective father leading a confrontation with Brant. Connecticut Yankee John Barton is in town trying to sell his plans for a cigarette-making machine. Brant doesn't have the money but with his former lover madam Sonia Kovac (Lauren Bacall), he hopes to make the machine to drive Singleton out of business. This is a nice love triangle. They have good conflicts which heat up their relationships. Cooper's nice guy persona allows his revenge to be sweetened. Otherwise, this could have been too bitter for the general public. It allows one to stay with him even as he is corrupted by greed and power. He takes a dark turn and it's great. This is a tragedy of epic Grecian nature. Brant's ending is poetic. The ending for Malley and Sonia should be that they join up with Barton starting up an automobile company in Detroit. Also, Neal and Bacall may be better off switching their roles. Bacall is a perfect femme fatale and Neal is naturally grounded. It's a bit of against type casting. Overall, this is solid tragedy done well.
atlasmb
Gary Cooper and Patricia Neal starred in 1949's "The Fountainhead", an adaptation of Ayn Rand's novel about an architect who refused to sacrifice his integrity or principles. A year later, the same two starred in this film, "Bright Leaf", a period piece in which Cooper plays a damaged man who becomes successful in the tobacco industry. In "The Fountainhead", Cooper is a strong man of principle, but he is probably the weakest part of that film, perhaps because he did not understand the film (as he himself admitted), perhaps because the role did not suit him. I think Cooper better understood his role in "Bright Leaf". His character, Brant Royle, feels more authentic. But Royle is not a man of principle. He is a caricature--the uncaring, destructive capitalist. He is a man with a chip on his shoulder and as far from a man of principle as one can get."Bright Leaf" actually has more in common with the movie "Giant", in which Rock Hudson and James Dean play warring oilmen. But "Giant' is a much better film. Cooper, like Hudson, is headstrong. And Dean's character is like Brant Royle--a man with a chip on his shoulder, who only wants payback for perceived slights. But "Giant" is a bright and shining production, where "Bright Leaf" is a dingy film of sordid intents.There is a bright moment in "Bright Leaf"--near the end of the film, when Royle discovers the true intentions of his wife, Margaret. In that scene, Patricia Neal virtually glows as she burns with the intensity of her revealed emotions.But otherwise, this film is only as compelling as a grudge match between two self-absorbed and boring factions. It's not the director's fault; the writing defines these characters and drives them. It's not a horrible film, but it falls short of "The Fountainhead", which--even with the miscasting of Cooper--contains a striking story of principles.
Neil Doyle
Surprised I am that some reviewers here really liked this overwrought melodrama about the tobacco industry and one man's rise to power because he has the vision to see how cigarettes could come from machines.Gary Cooper has the most unsympathetic role of his career as a stormy man caught between conflicted love with two women--Patricia Neal, headstrong and rich, and Lauren Bacall, the madam of a brothel. There's a suggestion of GWTW in these characters, but too much of the dialog resorts to confrontational moments that are never resolved.Most of the hatred comes from Patricia Neal's dad, Donald Crisp, who from the very start of the film wishes Gary Cooper would drop dead. It takes up too much of the film with the love/hate relationships between Cooper, Neal and Bacall getting the most footage.But in the end, with these unsympathetic characters chewing up the scenery with all their vitriol, the overall feeling is a waste of time. None of the relationships evolve smoothly, not even at the conclusion.Summing up: No wonder the film is so little known today. The saving grace is an interesting score by Victor Young.
Mikel3
Yes, this movie has some good actors and one of the best directors ever. However it still doesn't work for me. It drags (no cigarette pun intended) on and on. Finally I was left with the feeling I had just wasted a good hour and a half. Lauren Bacall is beautiful as always but seems out of place here. And it's hard to believe any sane man would shun her for Neal. Coop at 49 is way to old to be playing the young maverick he is supposed to be. Patricia Neal is young and wide eyed but not nearly as attractive as Bacall whom we are expected to believe is second best. The other actors are also good, but sadly they don't have much to work with. This film is predictable from the start. The ending is telegraphed well in advance and contains no surprises. It's one of those films where nobody gets the girl or the guy.I find it hard to believe it's been rated here as highly as it is. If you love Coop or any of the other fine actors in this there are countless better films to see them in.
