THE KENTUCKIAN
DIRECTED BY BURT LANCASTER
MUSIC BY BERNARD HERRMANN/ROY WEBB
HECHT-LANCASTER PRODUCTIONS
UNITED ARTISTS
INFORMATION FROM IMDb
Plot Summary
A frontiersman in 1820s Kentucky finds the area too civilized for his tastes,
so he makes plans for he and his son to leave for the wild Texas country.
However, he buys an indentured servant along the way,
and her presence throws a monkey wrench into his plans.
Written by frankfob
Cast
Burt Lancaster ... Elias Wakefield (Big Eli)
Dianne Foster ... Hannah Bolen
Diana Lynn ... Susie Spann
Walter Matthau ... Stan Bodine
Donald MacDonald ... Little Eli Wakefield
John McIntire ... Zack Wakefield
Una Merkel ... Sophie Wakefield
John Carradine ... Ziby Fletcher
John Litel ... Pleasant Tuesday Babson
Rhys Williams ... Constable
Edward Norris ... Roulette Dealer
and many more...
Directed
Burt Lancaster
Writing Credits
A.B. Guthrie Jr. ... (screenplay)
Felix Holt ... (novel)
Produced
Harold Hecht ... producer
James Hill ... producer (uncredited)
Music
Bernard Herrmann
Roy Webb ... (uncredited)
Cinematography
Ernest Laszlo ... (photography)
Trivia
The first movie directed by Burt Lancaster.
Due to the unfavorable critical response he did not direct again for almost 20 years,
until The Midnight Man (1974).
Burt Lancaster applied for membership in the Screen Directors Guild in August 1954
but was rejected "because he allegedly had expressed opinions about directors
regarded as uncomplimentary by the organization."
The guild granted Lancaster a waiver to allow him to direct the film
and invited him to reapply after it was completed.
In April 1954 Burt Lancaster was considering casting Brandon De Wilde
as Little Eli Wakefield and Jane Wyman as Susie Spann.
Film debut of Walter Matthau.
The average shot length of this film is about 7.75 seconds,
which makes it one of the faster cut early CinemaScope films.
The riverboat used in the movie was the Delta Queen.
The company spent almost $10,000 to add the fake smokestacks.
Burt Lancaster and producer Harold Hecht considered casting Kim Novak as Hannah Bolen.
Ian Keith had been cast in the picture, but left the production because of an ulcer.
In order to publicize the film, noted American artist Thomas Hart Benton painted a seven-foot portrait of Burt Lancaster, Donald MacDonald and Faro, which Lancaster donated to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1978.
The Los Angeles premiere was a benefit for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
The picture was entered in the 1955 Venice Film Festival.
Final film of Whip Wilson.
Constance Smith was tested for a co-starring role.
Una Merkel was the only member of the cast who was actually from Kentucky.
Goofs
Continuity
At the beginning, Eli is sitting near a campfire.
We can clearly see its flames, showing it is still burning.
When Eli stands up, the flames has disappeared,
even we haven't see him extinguishing the fire.
Filming Locations
Levi Jackson State Park, London, Kentucky, USA
Cumberland Falls State Park, Corbin, Kentucky, USA
Owensboro, Kentucky, USA
Rockport, Indiana, USA
Watch the Movie
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