Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Romantic drama

Bright Leaf (1950): Cast & Plot

Bright Leaf (1950) movie poster

Bright Leaf is a 1950 romantic drama directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Gary Cooper as Brant Royle, Donald Crisp and Elizabeth Patterson. It runs 1 hour 50 minutes.

Loading streaming availability…
Bright Leaf (1950) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 50m (110 min)
Director
Michael Curtiz
Genres
Drama , Romance
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Bright Leaf About?

The premise of Bright Leaf without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

He had to fight for everything he owned … except this woman’s lips ! Two tobacco growers battle for control of the cigarette market.

Bright Leaf Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • male male relationship
  • male female relationship
  • female female relationship
  • brother sister relationship
  • aunt niece relationship
  • female jealousy
  • father daughter relationship
  • manipulative female
  • retribution
  • dysfunctional marriage
  • romantic rivalry
  • horseless carriage
+38 more
  • board of directors
  • stock market
  • power struggle
  • horseback rider
  • walking cane
  • farm foreclosure
  • rooming house
  • hotel room
  • cigarette machine
  • auction
  • missed birthday party
  • femme fatale
  • attempted murder
  • published marriage announcement
  • marriage ceremony
  • european honeymoon
  • reference to monopoly
  • attorney general
  • house burns down
  • musical pocket watch
  • begins with an ending scene
  • husband wife separation
  • acrimonious separation
  • horse and carriage
  • 1800s
  • 1890s
  • cooper and bacall
  • cooper and carson
  • cooper and neal
  • male protagonist
  • tobacco
  • bordello
  • suicide
  • year 1900
  • north carolina
  • southern belle
  • unrequited love
  • suicide by gunshot
Loading streaming availability…
Cast & crew

Bright Leaf Cast & Characters

Gary Cooper leads the cast as Brant Royle, with Donald Crisp as Major Singleton and Elizabeth Patterson as Tabitha Singleton. Directed by Michael Curtiz; 60 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Bright Leaf

· 56 more
Show all 60 cast members
Plot

Bright Leaf Plot Summary

What happens in Bright Leaf from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Brant Royle Gary Cooper returns to his hometown of Kingsmont, North Carolina, to settle his uncle’s estate. Years earlier, powerful tobacco magnate Major Singleton Donald Crisp drove Brant and his father from town, foreclosing on the Royles because they grew the best bright leaf tobacco and because Brant fell in love with Singleton’s daughter, Margaret Jane Singleton Patricia Neal.

When Brant stops a runaway carriage driven by Margaret, she gives him a cool reception, but he is undeterred. Bored and eager for excitement, she deliberately incites her father to confront Brant at the hotel. Inventor John Barton Jeff Corey, needing financing for his revolutionary cigarette-rolling machine, witnesses the incident and approaches Brant.

Full summary

The whole story of Bright Leaf, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

Bright Leaf Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Bright Leaf.

Premiere Of Bright Leaf (1950)
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Bright Leaf?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Which actor portrayed Brant Royle?

Seen Bright Leaf?

FAQ

Bright Leaf FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Bright Leaf, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Bright Leaf?

Bright Leaf runs 1 hour 50 minutes (110 minutes).

When was Bright Leaf released?

Bright Leaf was released on May 31, 1950.

Who directed Bright Leaf?

Bright Leaf was directed by Michael Curtiz.

More films by Michael Curtiz

Who is in the cast of Bright Leaf?

Bright Leaf stars Gary Cooper as Brant Royle, Donald Crisp as Major Singleton and Elizabeth Patterson as Tabitha Singleton, among 60 credited actors.

Does Bright Leaf have a post-credit scene?

No. Bright Leaf has no extra scene during or after the credits.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app