Saratoga Trunk

Cooper is fun to watch, but seems a parody of himself in this film. Here is one of the flaws. He seems to be in a different film than the other characters. His part is played mostly for comedy, the other parts are mainly played melodramatically.

The film is wildly uneven and inconsistant. The tone of the film varies strangely in different sections: It starts dark and moody, almost like a horror film. Later scenes are either romantic melodrama, or broad comedy, and by far the best scene in the film is sophisticated and witty comedy, with far better dialogue than the rest of the film has (this is the scene where the old socialite trys to get the Bergman character to pay her to help Bergman win social acceptance).

A couple of more flaws; the dwarf character is fun to watch in spots, but is the characterization, or poor acting ability of the man who plays him becomes grating.

Flora Robeson, does quite a accomplished job playing the black servant; her New Orleans accent is quite believable. But despite her acting chops, she isn't believable as a black character; much of this is the makeup she wears. I assume that at the time the film was made, having a black actress play the cheeky, and not really subservient character would have been too radical for Hollywood. Since the audience knew that a white woman was playing this sort of black woman, presumably they would not be "shocked" or offended.


The ONLY Gary Cooper movie I've ever liked   January 23, 2001
Juana (Seattle, WA USA)
Miscast? Hardly (in my opinion). This movie was a favorite of mine on the local stations' after school or latenight slots (in those ancient days before cable) and I waited years for it to be released in video. I can't imagine anyone being a fan of both Bergman AND Gary Cooper, but Bergman fans shouldn't let Cooper's presence be a deterrent . . . he's actually kinda attractive in this. Ingrid is, of course, stunning. But why doesn't anyone mention the fact that she plays one of Ferber's favorite archetypes: the light-skinned Black woman seeking to avenge her mother's mistreatment? She's quite believable in the role and the relationship between her and her maid/companion sets this apart from a lot of other films where Black actors are cast only as servants.


Wonderful Edna Ferba adaptation   August 18, 2000
Bruce Wyatt (Houston, TX United States)
"Saratoga Trunk" is one of Ferber's finest novels. She captures the essence of New Orleans and Saratoga in the late 19th century.

The movie is remarkably true to the novel..what's more, given the war-time deprivations when the film was made, the sets are outstanding.

Just wish the movie had stayed on course with the novel at the end..but still very much worth your while to view.