I do not know why so many of the reviews of this film are negative. It is a thoroughly enjoyable film with lots of action. There are so few films whose stories are set in the immediate post-Louisiana Purchase period. The real history behind the story is fairly accurate and, despite some movie-serial tropes, it is well written. I was pleasantly surprised to see the iconic John Dehner affect a Franco-American accent, which would have been the norm for a second generation, Louisiana plantation owner. It also fits that his son, ably played by the handsome and dashing Lex Barker, would have no trace of the same accent, because by that time, English was becoming the norm in New Orleans post Louisiana Purchase. The weapons are accurate to the period, as is the idea that sugar was a rising commodity that Cajun Bayou-Raiders would steal. As in most of the Antebellum South, only a small few wealthy plantation owners would own all the land and slaves, while the rest of the citizenry had to survive as best they could. Now, was the movie a bit unrealistic and trite? Yes, but it is not a documentary! It is a good escapist film that has conflict, swordfights, romance, and light comedy. All the actors were wonderful in their roles, particularly. Ian Keith, who chews up the scenery and steals every scene he is in. Then there is the beautiful, copper-haired Patricia Medina as the apropos named Lili Scarlet. She brings a modern-day, feminist ideal of a woman-in-charge, good at business as well as skilled in wily, feminine charm. I enjoyed this film very much and think you will too. Just do not watch it expecting a Western film or a Documentary, just watch it with popcorn and enjoy.

A colorful bit of silliness takes the viewer to the 1820's old south as it most likely never existed, and dealing with piracy, gamblers, sword fights and little of what resembles history. Looking like a more masculine version of Rita Hayworth with a little bit of Maureen O'Hara thrown in, hot tempered gambling ship proprietor Patricia Medina accepts the services of handsome Lex Barker who wants to prevent his father, John Dehner, from going to debtor's prison.

As her servant, Barker puts up with all sorts of humiliations, mainly from her jealous foreman Warren Stevens, but it's obvious that the rugged Tarzan to be has won this part of the stubborn Medina. It's revealed that pirates are raiding plantation sugar crops, and Barker is determined to catch the culprit, at first suspecting Medina who has ties with Mississippi pirates.

Filled with hokum but enjoyable, this colorful Columbia B adventure was produced by legendary Sam Katzman who tossed out dozens of movies a year and was directed by William Castle several years before he became the master of macabre and the guider of the gimmick, hemming camp classics like "The Tingler" and "13 Ghosts". It's probably more relevant of a film because of that reason than anything that is seen on screen although the cast is handsome and the production striking. But there's hardly anything in the film to make it a classic, so I guess I'll just have to settle for fun but forgettable as my description of what it has to offer.