The Flame of New Orleans

The Flame of New Orleans

Year: 1941

Runtime: 79 mins

Language: English

Director: René Clair

ComedyRomance

THE FLAME IN HER EYES scorched a thousand hearts! In old New Orleans, a beautiful adventuress juggles the attentions of a rich banker and a dashing sea captain.

The Flame of New Orleans (1941) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at The Flame of New Orleans (1941) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In the sultry haze of old New Orleans, a whispered legend drifts along the Mississippi—a wedding dress rescued from the river in 1840, said to belong to a vanished countess. The city’s cobblestones echo with jazz, Mardi Gras revelry, and the clatter of riverboats, creating a backdrop where glamour and mystery mingle as freely as the steam from the kitchen doors. The atmosphere is one of lingering romance and hidden ambition, a place where a single glance can ignite a thousand desires.

Enter Claire Ledoux, a strikingly beautiful adventuress whose presence turns heads wherever she goes. Determined to secure a future of wealth and influence, she sets her sights on the powerful banker Charles Giraud, whose wealth and social standing promise the stability she craves. Yet the magnetic pull of the river’s tide introduces Robert Latour, a dashing sea captain whose free‑spirited world offers a stark contrast to the banker’s polished corridors. As Claire navigates the glittering salons and the bustling docks, she finds herself caught between the polished allure of high society and the untamed charm of the river’s edge.

The film swirls with the intoxicating perfume of magnolias and cigar smoke, framing a story of choice, desire, and the price of ambition. In this richly textured world, every encounter feels like a delicate dance of courtship and strategy, hinting at deeper currents beneath the surface of polite conversation. As the city prepares for a celebration that could seal Claire’s fate, the tension between security and wanderlust, tradition and rebellion, lingers in the air, promising a tale as unforgettable as the legend that first sparked it.

Last Updated: December 05, 2025 at 10:02

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Playful Romantic Farces like The Flame of New Orleans

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The narrative pattern involves a protagonist, typically a woman, being courted by two distinct suitors: one representing stability, wealth, and social position (a 'gilded cage'), and the other representing freedom, passion, and authentic connection. The story explores the allure and constraints of both paths, building towards a climax where the protagonist actively rejects security for genuine love, often in a dramatic public or symbolic act.

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The Flame of New Orleans Summary

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