Louisiana Story (1948)

Directed by Robert J. Flaherty, Louisiana Story is a visually poetic film commissioned by Standard Oil of New Jersey to promote its image during a time of expanding oil exploration. Though often labeled a documentary, the film is more accurately a docufiction—a stylized narrative set in the Louisiana bayous, blending real oil workers with fictional characters and events.

Plot Summary
The story follows a young Cajun boy, Alexander Napoleon Ulysses Le Tour (played by Joseph Boudreaux), who lives with his family in a remote swamp. His days are spent exploring the wilderness with his pet raccoon, until an oil company arrives to drill near their home. The rig workers, portrayed as friendly and respectful, set up operations while the boy observes with curiosity and wonder. A brief crisis occurs when the drill hits a trouble zone, but it’s resolved without conflict. Meanwhile, the boy believes his raccoon has been eaten by a giant alligator and sets out to avenge it—only to discover the raccoon alive, restoring his sense of harmony.

Cast Highlights

• Joseph Boudreaux as The Boy
• Lionel Le Blanc as The Father
• E. Bienvenu, Frank Hardy, and Oscar Yarborough as oil workers
• The rig crew were actual roughnecks, not actors, adding authenticity to the drilling scenes

Behind-the-Scenes Trivia

• The film was financed by Standard Oil with a budget of $258,000, intended to portray oil exploration as environmentally benign
• The score by Virgil Thomson won the Pulitzer Prize for Music, the only time a film score has received that honor
• Cinematographer Richard Leacock used lightweight 35mm cameras originally developed for wartime propaganda, allowing for fluid, naturalistic shots
• Production was delayed when Joseph Boudreaux received a short haircut from his uncle, requiring time for his hair to grow back before filming resumed
• Ranked #5 on Sight & Sound’s inaugural 1952 poll of the 10 Greatest Films of All Time