The Fighting Kentuckian

ROUGHER, TOUGHER, MORE ROMANTIC THAN EVER!

1949 • 100 min • Western · Romance

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Synopsis

John Breen (John Wayne), a Kentucky militiaman falls in love with French exile Fleurette De Marchand (Vera Ralston). He discovers a plot to steal the land that Fleurette's exiles plan to settle on and aims to foil it.

Our family guide

Best from age 8

Movie Knight Score

69 reviews

100 Reviewers · 1 · 51%
60 Audience · 68 · 49%

John Breen, a Kentucky militiaman, falls for French exile Fleurette. He uncovers a scheme to seize the land intended for her community, leading him to defend them against the conspirators.

Violence & peril: 3/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 1/10
Romance & sensuality: 2/10
Scary moments: 2/10

Heads up

Some fistfights and old-fashioned gunplay
A mild romantic subplot with some embraces
Depictions of historical frontier life

What it models well

Courage and standing up for what is right
Loyalty to community and new friends
Protecting vulnerable people

Talk about it after

The history of French exiles in America
The importance of fair land dealings
How characters resolve conflicts

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for The Fighting Kentuckian. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

Where to watch

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Top billed cast

Director: George Waggner • Crew: George Waggner

Trailers & clips

The Fighting Kentuckian - Trailer

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
One of my favorites of Wayne's films. With Oliver Hardy as a sidekick this is a rollicking fun movie. Plenty of action and a good screenplay makes this a must see for any Wayne fan.
Kenneth Blais, TMDB Community