Free Slave

The Free Slave ( Band of Angels ) is an American film directed by Raoul Walsh , released on.

Synopsis

Amantha Starr (Yvonne De Carlo) is the extremely spoiled daughter of a Kentucky plantation owner . Unfortunately the death of the latter brings to light a dreadful secret: Amantha did not know that his mother had been one of his father’s black slaves. Legally she is now only a property like any other and she is taken by a slave trader from New Orleans to be sold. On the boat that goes down the river, he tells her bluntly his intention to sleep with her, but he gives it up when she tries to hang herself: it is a young beautiful and cultivated woman, that one would take for a white, it is too valuable for him to lose.

Amantha is auctioned off and is ruthlessly inspected by a potential buyer, a rude character. She is saved from further humiliation by Hamish Bond (Clark Gable), who outbid and buys at an exorbitant price. Expecting the worst, Amantha is quite surprised that her new owner treats her as a lady and not a slave. In the property of her master in the city, she meets the main slaves he owns, his servant Michele (Carolle Drake) and his favorite slave Rau-Ru (Sidney Poitier), with a contrasting character. He is indeed grateful for the kindness of Hamish, the education he has given him and the confidence he puts in him, but he can never forget his social status.

Time passes and Amantha and Hamish fall in love with each other. To complicate matters further, Hamish hides the terrible secret of a past thing that disturbs his conscience.

Finally the civil war breaks out and New Orleans falls into the hands of the Union , the head of Hamish is put on price. He and Amantha escaped with the help of Rau-Ru, who had fled and joined the Union Army.

Technical sheet

  • Original title: Band of Angels
  • French title: L’Esclave libre
  • Director: Raoul Walsh
  • Scenario: John Twist , Ivan Goff , Ben Roberts , from the novel Band of Angels of Robert Penn Warren
  • Artistic direction: Franz Bachelin
  • Sets: William Wallace
  • Costumes: Marjorie Best
  • Photography: Lucien Ballard
  • Sound: Francis Stahl
  • Editing: Folmar Blangsted
  • Music: Max Steiner
  • Production and Distribution Company: Warner Bros. Pictures
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Language: English
  • Format: Colors (Warnercolor) – 35mm – 1.85: 1 – Sound: Mono (RCA Sound Recording) VistaVision
  • Genre: Adventure Movie
  • Duration: 125 minutes
  • Release dates: United States :  ; France : 

Distribution

  • Clark Gable ( VF : Raymond Loyer ) : Hamish Bond
  • Yvonne De Carlo (VF: Mony Dalmes ) : Amantha Starr
  • Sidney Poitier (VF: René Arrieu ) : Rau-Ru
  • Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (VF: Jacques Thebault ) : Ethan Sears
  • Patric Knowles (VF: Jean-Henri Chambois ) : Charles De Marigny
  • Torin Thatcher (VF: Pierre Morin ) : Captain Canavan
  • Rex Reason (VF: Michel Gudin ) : Seth Parton
  • Andrea King (VF: Nadine Alari ) : Miss Idell
  • Ray Teal (VF: Jean Brochard ) : Calloway
  • Russell Evans : Jimmee, butler of Bond
  • Carolle Drake (VF: Thérèse Rigaut ) : Michelle
  • Raymond Bailey (VF: Émile Duard ) : Stuart, landowner
  • Tommie Moore : Dollie, Bond’s maid
  • Larry J. Blake (VF: Roger Rudel ) : Auctioneer (uncredited)
  • Marshall Bradford (VF: Jacques Berlioz ) : General Butler (uncredited)
  • Zelda Cleaver (VF: Mona Dol ) : Sukie (uncredited)
  • William Schallert (VF: Claude Peran ) : Union Lieutenant (uncredited)
  • Juanita Moore (F: Jacqueline Ferrière ) : Budge, calloway maid (uncredited)
  • Ann Doran : me Morton (uncredited)
  • Maurice Marsac (VF: Gérard Férat) : A participant in the auction (uncredited)
  • Jim Hayward : Sheriff (uncredited)
  • William Forrest (VF: Richard Francoeur ) : Aaron Star (uncredited)
  • Roy Barcroft (VF: Jean Clarieux ) : Gillespie, supervisor of Aaron (uncredited)
  • Carl Harbaugh : sailor (uncredited)
  • Bob Steele : Union soldier (uncredited)
  • Dan White : merchant (uncredited)

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