Lucy Gallant

Have heard of this film for quite some time and finally got the chance to view it on tape (probably from AMC). I think the film captures the boomtown feel very well-instant population with lack of lodging or goods =business opportunities. While the film undoubtedly contains many truthful elements concerning the oil boom in Texas ( and even Governor Shivers playing himself ), it does seem just a bit stagy, although Jane Wyman's performance is actually quite good. I found it very intriguing that for the time period when the film was made, a woman was portrayed as virtually building her own business from the ground up without any real help from the man (or men) in her life. The real reason I had heard about the film previously is the "high fashion comes to Texas" bit, with Edith Head behind the creations. As usual, Edith does not disappoint. The designs, especially during the fashion show sequence, are amazing. It's no wonder that Edith Head was so sought after in Hollywood as a costumer for films (most notably for Alfred Hitchcock). She was a real talent. I am in total agreement that this film needs to be released on DVD, as I don't believe that it has ever even been on VHS at any point.

One of my favorite Saturday Night at the Movies movie from childhood. Even as a ten-year-old though, I hated Casey Cole, Charlton Heston's character - horribly misogynist, manipulative and macho to a degree rarely seen out of other Charlton Heston movies. He makes every effort to pull the smart, beautiful, passionate and ambitious Lucy away from her successful business and into his idea of the perfect little woman - barefoot and pregnant and waiting for the Lord and Master at the front door at the end of the day. Lucy loves him but is determined to be herself and not an empty shell to be filled with just him. I watch it now with happy dread - I have to see again just what a pig Casey Cole is while also seeing the awesome Jane Wyman glow and grow through every minute of her screen time.Absolutely worth the watch. My favorite character actresses Clair Trevor and Thelma Ritter are Casey fans but reliably good as well.

First saw this movie on AMC over a decade ago, taped it, and love it. It's actually a good conglomeration of events during the Texas oil boom. The scenes of the hotels being so full and nothing for people to buy in the boom towns is very accurate. The development of the great department store is really telling the story of famed Texas department stores such as Neiman-Marcus, Joske's, Hemphill-Wells and others that brought world-class shopping to the oil and ranching areas of Texas. Heston's performance is great and he really pegs the personality of many older rancher friends I know. And, any lover of Texas politics will love seeing Governor Shivers play himself. Other folks are right, we need this on a good quality DVD - it just has too much good history of the oil boom and post WWII development in Texas to keep locked away.

Jane Wyman is "Lucy Gallant," who goes to new territory to set up in business and sell women's clothes - to be her own woman, to stand on her own two feet. But when Charlton Heston set his eyes on her, he fell in love with her and wanted her for himself. By the way, he doesn't like these "independent women." He is both attracted to and dismayed by her being cool to him in the beginning. But he is just as determined as she is. Claire Trevor, Thelma Ritter, and William Demarest all give good support, but this film belongs to Ms. Wyman, who gives the role both her vulnerability and firm resolve. "Lucy Gallant" is a harder-to-find film of hers than others. And, while it may seen rather predictable and not that much original in concept, its production values and good actors make up for it. Ms. Wyman's likable disposition invites the viewer to spend time with her and we never lose interest in her world as she tries to make a go of it and having to deal with Charlton's passes at her. Will she succumb to his advances? Will she triumph over tragedies that befall her business? You'll only learn, if you enter the world of "Lucy Gallant."

The story begins with Lucy (Jane Wyman) arriving in some oil boom town at just the right time. Suddenly, thanks to the oil, folks have LOTS of disposable income and few places in which to spend it. So Lucy decides to open a clothing store, Gallant's. Soon she's quite the success. However, at the same time, Casey (Charlton Heston) has fallen for her and he wants to marry her...and vice-versa. The problem is that she is a driven career woman and he wants a stay at home wife. Obviously she cannot be both....so for the next fifteen years or so, the pair never manage to tie the not or even become official boyfriend and girlfriend. Is there any hope to ending this impasse?

The film is well acted, very slickly made and is enjoyable. I am sure a few folks watching might hate the sexist bent of the film, but for 1955 it was actually pretty progressive. Well worth seeing, though a bit predictable as well.