Flame of Barbary Coast (1945)
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48% of users liked it
(1,357 ratings)
John Wayne is not the title character of Flame of the Barbary Coast: that honor goes to second-billed Ann Dvorak. Wayne plays a Montana cattleman who is lured into a San Francisco gambling joint by dance-hall girl Dvorak. Though Ann at first brings Wayne luck, he ends up losing his shirt to… More John Wayne is not the title character of Flame of the Barbary Coast: that honor goes to second-billed Ann Dvorak. Wayne plays a Montana cattleman who is lured into a San Francisco gambling joint by dance-hall girl Dvorak. Though Ann at first brings Wayne luck, he ends up losing his shirt to cardshark Joseph Schildkraut. Chastened by the experience, Wayne leaves Frisco with his tail between his legs, returning only after he himself has become a gambling expert. Thanks to his new-found expertise, Wayne is able to rake in enough bucks to open his own saloon, bringing Dvorak along for the ride as star of the floor show. Numerous intrigues ensue, culminating in a drawn-out trial scene. As the judge is about to reach a decision, the San Francisco Earthquake strikes (mostly off-screen, drat the luck). When Dvorak is injured in the disaster, Wayne is forced to realign his values. The Duke and The Dvorak decide to bid adieu to the City by the Bay, heading off to Montana to start life anew. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Joseph Kane
- Written By
- Borden Chase
- Genres
- Western, Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- May 28, 1945 Wide
- On DVD
- Jan 21, 2003
Critic Reviews
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Before becoming a major box-office star, John Wayne made many B-pictures, such as this Republic flick, a romantic triangle set in San Francisco circa 1906, which was nominated for several technical Oscars.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The script is so lame and murky that even the Duke doesn't seem interested in his character.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
No Featured Audience Ratings Found…
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Cast
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John Wayne
as Duke Fergus
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Ann Dvorak
as Flaxen Tarry
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Joseph Schildkraut
as Tito Morell
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William Frawley
as Smooth Wylie, Wolf Wylie
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Virginia Grey
as Rita Dane
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Russell Hicks
as Cyrus Danver
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Jack Norton
as Byline Conners
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Paul Fix
as Calico Jim
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Eve Lynne
as Martha
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Marc Lawrence I
as Disko, Joe Disko
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Butterfly McQueen
as Beulah
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Rex Lease
as Collingswood headwaiter, Headwaiter
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Hank Bell
as Cabby, Hank cabby
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Al Murphy
as Horseshoe Brown
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Adele Mara
as Marie
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Emmett Vogan
as Rita's Agent
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Manart Kipper
as Dr. Gorman
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Manart Kippen
as Dr. Gorman
