Meowwwww... Eartha Kitt, ten years before she was Catwoman on "Batman"! This film not only co-stars Sammy Davis Jr, but that's also him singing the "Anna" theme. Things are pretty rough for Anna as the film opens. She's been tossed out by her family, even to the point of not have a place to sleep. But... just as things might be turning around for her, she runs into her old sailor friend, Danny, (Sammy Davis) and his pal Lester. Anna isn't sure if she likes either one of her options... her old sailor buddy that doesn't want to get married, or the "friend of the family" that is staying in town looking for work. Rudolph is played by Henry Scott, and it looks like this film is the only thing he ever did. and just when things are finally looking up for Anna, more people are running interference against her. Based on a play by Philip Yordan. He had just won the oscar for Broken Lance. "Anna" was first done by a white cast (1949),then later done by a black cast (1958). This is quite good, and i'm glad that Turner Classics is showing it. and now that I've seen THIS version, of course i want to see the 1949 Paulette Goddard version too. Highly recommended, if you can catch it.

It took a long time for Philip Yordan's play Anna Lucasta to get made into a film and it turned out to be a good showcase for the talents of stars Eartha Kitt and Sammy Davis, Jr. The play ran on Broadway from 1944-46 and had 957 performances on Broadway. Several of the cast members in supporting roles returned for the screen. I'm sure that there were wartime references in the play that were cut out for the screen version as Sammy Davis, Jr.'s part was that of a sailor.

Sailor and general all around good time guy Davis's favorite call when in San Diego is Eartha Kitt in the title role. Some years earlier Kitt was caught getting down with some boy by her self righteous father and cast out of the home and drifted into prostitution.

But now her father Rex Ingram has come looking for her wanting her back. He thinks she will make a good wife for the son of an old friend from Alabama who has come to California. Henry Scott also has $4000.00 from his father and Anna's family who isn't the classiest bunch around also eyes him with that bankroll like an expensive cut of meat in a butcher shop.

She marries Scott, but Davis ain't finished. Soon enough Kitt has some real marital issues. Scott is a decent enough guy, but a bit naive as to the ways of the world, surprising for someone who wants a career teaching agricultural science like George Washington Carver.

As for Davis I think this role may have caught the eye of Otto Preminger who cast him in the very similar part of Sporting Life in Porgy And Bess the following year. Eartha Kitt shows off all her slinkiness that made her famous, but like Lena Horne Hollywood did not know what to do with her. I also think that she may have been a second choice behind Dorothy Dandridge good as Kitt is.

Anna Lucasta is a good film and a great chance to see Eartha Kitt and Sammy Davis, Jr. in their salad days.

Really never watched much from Eartha Kitt(however I know she was one of the world's most exciting and entertaining women of her day) well finally checked out this family drama from 1958 Anna Lucasta. This is a film of love, choice, and free will as it involves Eartha as Anna a young go against the grain gal with a loving family however having problems with her father she takes to the streets of nightlife and bars. A sharp and wise sailor named Danny(Sammy Davis Jr.) takes her under his wing only things get messy and complex when Anna finds love the past and future all come to a head. Overall this film is an okay watch if you enjoy family like dramas from the black and white era.