The subject matter of this film, the tobacco industry, is a subject that makes this a bit dated. Back in 1950, it worked fine up on the big screen but today some might see these folks as mass murderers.When the movie begins, Brant Royle (Gary Cooper) arrives back in his home town in North Carolina. He's been gone for many years and he's back to settle his uncle's estate. However, the local tobacco czar, the Major (Donald Crisp), has decided that Brant is not welcome and makes it very clear. But, around the same time, a smart inventor (Jeff Corey) approaches Brant with an automated cigarette rolling machine. Soon, Brant is rich and slowly the Major and his old money are being driven into the ground.At the same time, one woman loves Brant and another completely cold and indifferent. So, naturally he ignores the nice woman (Lauren Bacall) and chases the nasty one...the Major's daughter (Patricia Neal). Why does he want this cold, conniving and annoying woman? Perhaps he wants to do to her what he metaphorically wants to do to the Major...who knows?Eventually, Brant is able to get everything he wants...wealth, power and the girl. However, in the process he becomes a heartless, nasty jerk-face. He also manages to destroy the good will of his friends and is eventually left an empty man. What's next? See the film.In many ways, this reminds me of previous films like "Citizen Kane", "Honky Tonk" and "Edward, My Son"...three films about guys who do anything in order to gain power and yet lose everything that's really important in the process. It's a timeless morality tale and the more you watch, the more you are just waiting to see the mighty fall due to their own awfulness and arrogance. Fortunately, it does end a bit differently...there isn't exactly a 'Rosebud' moment.Overall, an interesting and well acted epic from Warner Brothers. Better than I expected...mostly because occasionally the script caught me by surprise...and in good ways. By the way, Lauren Bacall's character is described as running a 'boarding house' but she clearly is a madame with a stable full of prostitutes when the film begins. I found these euphemisms a bit funny but understand that this was all done to comply with the rigid Production Code.

This is one of those should I watch this or not? Much has been made of the score..trust me..it's OK..but it does'nt soar or enrich the movie in any way..and what may be a good thing..there are large portions which are left alone..with only dialog to drive it..this is a movie where you have to take the good with the bad to get through it..like cough medicine..the star here is Gary cooper who does a good turn in this as a sleep walker..I do not know how he envisioned playing this role, , but he shows very little emotion..that's not acting..that's just taking up space on a stage..likewise Patricia Neal ..if only a little less so..the good? Lauren Bacall and Jack Carson who manage to steal their parts while on screen..Donald Crisp, as Patricia Neal's father..steady..as always in everything he's in..James Griffith as a southern book keeper working for Cooper plays a part unlike anything else he's ever done..usually someone on the dark side..other reviews have given you plot..I'm just giving performance reviews..a bit talky and slow..the direction by Michael Curtiz of Errol Flynn's films seems off his game..otherwise, why would it drag? The story..one that's been told a thousand times over ..revenge and mis-placed desire..there's no love lost here..it's revenge and more revenge ..and a climax you can see coming ..an ending that leaves you a little empty..another Cooper/Neal pairing from an earlier talky film..The Fountainhead..another unwatchable outing..Sorry..the good with the bad..COOP..how could you?

I'm a fan of Michael Curtiz and his seminal film, "Mildred Pierce", so I couldn't help comparing the story/plot of "Bright Leaf" to Mildred Pierce, which was a well-received Curtiz film from 1945 - five years previous to the release of Bright Leaf. The following is my comparison: Mildred Pierce is a woman from humble stock who is spurned by her unfaithful husband and her class-conscious daughter. Mildred determines to prove her worth by obtaining wealth and thereby purchasing both her position in society and the affections of her daughter. Success comes in the form of a chain of popular restaurants. Acceptance into higher society eludes Mildred as her snobbish daughter continues to ridicule Mildred and she is then double-crossed by her business partner/lover, society playboy Monte Barragan. Mildred loses everything for which she worked so hard; her wealth, social status, daughter, lover, etc.In the film "Bright Leaf", Brant Royle is the son of a poor tobacco farmer who was pushed out of business by the family of Margaret Singleton (played by Patricia Neal), the boyhood crush of Brant Royle. Brant determines to prove his worth and gain revenge on the Singleton family by obtaining wealth and thereby driving Major Singleton out of business. Revenge eludes Brant Royle; however, as he is double-crossed by his business partner/lover, Margaret Singleton. Brant loses everything for which he worked so hard; his wealth, social status, lover, etc.Although Bright Leaf is not a one-for-one plot-mirror of Mildred Pierce, the similarities to me were startling. Mildred is clearly the better film, in my opinion, due to the more likable and sympathetic main character. Mildred was motivated by a needy sort of "love" for her daughter, while Brant was motivated by a desire for revenge.The audience is left with sympathy for Mildred who was a victim of the selfish people around her. The audience must; however, place the blame of Brant's demise squarely on his own shoulders, for as Douglas Horton once said, "While seeking revenge, dig two graves - one for yourself".

Powerful tobacco king Donald Crisp is angered when Gary Cooper, the son of a man whose property Crisp took away from him, returns to his home town after a seven year absence, more prosperous, but like "Wuthering Height's" Heathcliff, determined to even the score. It happens that Crisp's beautiful daughter, Patricia Neal, once had her eye on Cooper, but the ruthless father made his displeasure clear by destroying any chance they had of being together by running Cooper out of town. Now back to settle his late uncle's estate, Cooper becomes involved in a plan to mass-market cigarettes with the help of the man who invented the cigarette rolling machine. Town madame Lauren Bacall loans Cooper the money to patent the machine, and before you can say, "Do you have a light?", Cooper has totally taken over the tobacco market, virtually wiping Crisp out, and driving the man to a desperate act of revenge.When first seen, Cooper is a determined man, not totally consumed with revenge, but as he gets more power, he becomes just as bad (possibly even worse) than Crisp ever was. He uses the two women in his life, particularly Bacall, whose obvious whorehouse is disguised as a boarding house occupied by her large amount of cousins. Neal and Bacall sadly do not share any scenes, but after being in the background for a quarter of the earlier part of the film, suddenly emerge in strong character studies. Neal, in particular, has a particularly triumphant juicy moment that reveals everything we know has been building up inside this spoiled beauty. Like "The Furies", Neal defies her powerful father, but the father/daughter relationship is obviously stronger than any love match could be. Fortunately, unlike "The Furies'" Wendell Corey, "Bright Leaf" (which is actually the name of the plantation that Cooper ends up in control of), Cooper is a stronger and more magnetic actor. With the real-life love affair between Cooper and Neal going on during this and the magnificent "The Fountainhead", they show more on-screen sparks than Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor had in most of their films.The one sour note in this film is the presence of Jack Carson as the medicine man who ends up being Cooper's partner. He really seems to have no reason for being here other than to give box-office name to a film, that with Cooper, Neal, and Bacall really didn't need it. Donald Crisp, who played a wealthy steel mill owner of a sympathetic nature in "The Valley of Decision" just five years before this, gets to add some delicious ruthlessness. In comparing Crisp and Neal's relationship to "The Furies'" Walter Huston and Barbara Stanwyck, you will notice some similarities as I mentioned. Then, in smaller roles, are Elizabeth Patterson and Gladys George as Neal and Bacall's confidantes. They do respectable work as usual. This is modern Greek tragedy at its finest, and a rare chance to see Cooper playing a very unsympathetic character. The ending is very satisfactory, both a typical Hollywood finale and a moral lesson as well.