Anna Lucasta
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Anna Lucasta
Plot
Playwright Philip Yordan stirred up controversy with his 1944 Broadway production Anna Lucasta, the sexy saga of a family of avaricious African-Americans. Such was the notoriety of the play that Columbia Pictures couldn't resist optioning it for a film version. Since this was 1949, Columbia took into consideration both censors and intolerant filmgoers by toning down the play's eroticism and transforming the characters into Polish-Americans. The 1958 Anna Lucasta was filmed in more temperate times, thus the leading characters were once again non-Caucasians. Eartha Kitt stars as waterfront prostitute Anna Lucasta, called back home by her greedy brother-in-law (Frederick O'Neal) to be married off to a moderately wealthy young man (Henry Scott). Anna spoils the brother-in-law's plans by falling in love with the young fellow and seeing to it that no one gets their mitts on his money. A visitor from Anna's past (Sammy Davis Jr.) nearly wrecks the marriage, but Anna is forgiven by her husband and allowed a chance for a new life. ~ Hal Erickson, RoviReview
On the Broadway stage in the 1940, Philip Yordan's Anna Lucasta caused quite a stir; this 1958 remake (the play was first filmed in 1949) didn't create quite the same reaction when released and when seen today it is likely to be dismissed as an exercise in much ado about nothing. The blame lasts primarily with Yordan's screenplay, which to modern audiences will seem overwrought in the extreme -- not to mention mechanical and overly calculated. Still, Yordan had a definite flair, and even in the midst of this he manages to come up with a number of powerful scenes and some moments that really hit the mark. He's helped by a very fine cast. While it's easy to charge that many are overacting, for the most part they're simply doing what Yordan's screenplay requires -- and doing it quite well. Sultry, pouty Eartha Kitt is everything that Anna should be -- a frightened tiger, ready to bear her claws and fangs one moment then nuzzle up against a fellow with soft purrs the next. Sammy Davis Jr. isn't quite as comfortable in his role, perhaps because physically he's a bit too lightweight for the part, but he brings conviction to his role. And Rex Ingram is downright spooky as the father who doth protest too much. Anna should be seen, not for its screenplay, but for the chance to see talented black actors given a chance to handle some meaty, if overdone, parts. ~ Craig Butler, RoviCast
- Eartha Kitt - Anna Lucasta
- Sammy Davis, Jr. - Danny Johnson
- Frederick O'Neal - Frank
- Henry Scott - Rudolph Slocum
- Rex Ingram - Joe Lucasta
Credit
Arnold Laven - Director, Richard Meyer - Editor, Elmer Bernstein - Composer (Music Score), Lucien Ballard - Cinematographer, Sidney Harmon - Producer, Philip Yordan - Screenwriter, Philip Yordan - Play Author| Anna Lucasta (1949 Film), Anna Kournikova: Basic Elements - My Complete Fitness Guide (2001 Film) | |
| Anna M. (2007 Film), Anna Magdalena (1998 Film) |
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Anna Lucasta
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Anna Lucasta (1959 film)
| Anna Lucasta | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Arnold Laven |
| Produced by | Sidney Harmon |
| Written by | Philip Yordan |
| Starring | Eartha Kitt Sammy Davis Jr. Henry Scott |
| Music by | Elmer Bernstein (Lee Osborne music editor) |
| Cinematography | Lucien Ballard |
| Editing by | Richard C. Meyer Robert Lawrence |
| Studio | Longridge Enterprises |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) |
February 1959 (general release)[1] |
| Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Anna Lucasta is a 1959 film directed by Arnold Laven and written by Philip Yordan. It stars Eartha Kitt, Sammy Davis Jr., and Henry Scott.[1][2] It is a remake of the 1949 version (directed by Irving Rapper and starring Paulette Goddard), which itself was an adaptation of Yordan's 1936 stage play.
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Contents
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Plot
Anna Lucasta (Eartha Kitt) is a sassy African American beauty who was forced to make a living on the streets near the San Diego naval station at a young age after her father had kicked her out. She spends her nights drinking and seducing men in the area. Meanwhile, her mother and father live in Los Angeles, along with their son and and another daughter, and their respective spouses under one roof. Her father Joe, an aging alcoholic, receives a letter one day from his old friend Otis Slocum in Alabama.
In his letter, Otis tells Joe he will be sending his son Rudolph (Henry Scott), to California with $4000, in hopes that Joe can help Rudolph find a fine wife. Frank, Anna’s brother-in-law, and her brother Stanley see this as a scheming opportunity to get their share of the $4000. Her mother, Theresa, thinks Anna would be a fine wife for Rudolph, and that it would be a great opportunity for her to get a fresh start. Joe becomes livid at the thought and refuses to speak her name.
After being coerced by the family, he goes to San Diego to bring Anna home. He finds Anna at Noah’s Wharf Café drinking and kissing sailor Danny Johnson(Sammy Davis Jr.), who had just proposed Anna go away with him. Joe insists Anna come home, and since Danny’s proposal did not include marriage, she decides to return home to Los Angeles with her father. Anna quickly catches on to Frank’s and Stanley’s scheme.
Rudolph arrives to the Lucasta residence and is instantly struck by Anna’s beauty. He courts her for a while and finally confesses his feelings to her. Anna reveals the reason she was in San Diego, why her father kicked her out and how she had to make a living on the streets to survive. Rudolph doesn’t care about her past and proposes marriage to Anna. Just before the wedding, Rudolph gets news that he has been hired to be a teacher at a college nearby. Joe, who overheard the news, goes down to the college and tells the Dean that his new hire’s wife is a tramp.
Just after the wedding, Danny shows up determined to take Anna away. After finding out her father’s plans to sabotage any chance of a good life with Rudolph, Anna flees with Danny. They party together in San Diego for a week, until Danny runs out of funds. Anna mentions she has trousseau money in her parents home. They decide to go back to the house to get the money so they could pay their fare to Brazil. When they get there, Anna finds her father in bed, moaning, calling Anna his little angel. She takes her father’s hand, and he dies. Anna breaks out into tears, and Danny leaves the house. As he is leaving, Rudolph and the family are returning from church. Rudolph sees Danny leaving and assumes Anna is back home and in excitement, runs into the house.
Cast
- Eartha Kitt as Anna Lucasta
- Sammy Davis Jr. as Danny Johnson
- Frederick O'Neal as Frank
- Henry Scott as Rudolph Slocum
- Rex Ingram as Joe Lucasta
- Alvin Childress as Noah
- James Edwards as Eddie
- Rosetta LeNoire as Stella
- Isabelle Cooley as Katie Lucasta
- Georgia Burke as Theresa Lucasta
- Claire Leyba as Blanch
- John Proctor as Stanley Lucasta
- Charles Swain as Lester
- Isaac Jones as Police officer
- Wally Earl as Secretary
- Eileen Harley
Production
The film was shot at Samuel Goldwyn Studio from early May through early June 1958.[1]
Film credits
Additional film credits:[1]
- Music: Elmer Bernstein (composer); Sammy Cahn (composer); Lee Osborne (music editor)
- Art Director: John S. Poplin Jr.
- Graphic Artist: Charles White
- Visual Effects: Jack Rabin and Louis DeWitt (special photography effects); Irving Lerner (montage conceived by)
- Make up: Ted Coodley (makeup artist) and Helene Parrish (hairstylist)
- Costume-wardrobe: Virginia Dey (wardrobe stylist); Sophia Stutz (women’s wardrobe); Norman Martien (men’s wardrobe)
- Art Department: Lyle B. Reifsnyder (set dresser); Richard Rubin (prop master)
- Sound: Jack Solomon
- Film Production (main): Leon Chooluck (production supervisor); James Yarbrough (script supervisor)
References
- ^ a b c d Gevinson, Alan (1997), Gevinson, Alan, ed., The AFI Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States, University of California Press, p. 38, ISBN 978-0-520-20964-0, http://books.google.com/books?id=bsoUXGZSxZcC&lpg=PA38&dq=anna%20lucasta%201959&pg=PA38#v=onepage&q=anna%20lucasta%201959&f=true
- ^ Erickson, Hal, Anna Lucasta (1958) synopsis, AllRovi, http://allmovie.com/work/anna-lucasta-83759
- Bordman, Gerald; and Thomas S. Hischak. (2004), "Anna Lucasta", The Oxford Companion to American Theatre
- Robinson, Lisa Clayton., "American Negro Theatre", in Anthony-Appiah, Kwame; and Henry Louis-Gates, Jr.,, Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience, (second edition), Oxford African American Studies Center, http://www.oxfordaasc.com/article/opr/t0002/e0176.
External links
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Mentioned in
Anna Lucasta
(American Theater)
Anna Lucasta
(1949 Drama Film)
Anna Lucasta
(1958 Drama Film)
Philip Yordan
(literature)
Frederick Fox
(American Theater)
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