This episode of Nesbitt's THE PASSING PARADE tells of a canny Louisianan merchant who jilts his love because she has no dowry. He rises to riches and honors, but comes to realize his mistake. Instead, he leaves in his will money for a dowry of young brides with no fortune.

I wouldn't have believed this tale if it had been presented in a story. Yes, here's an excerpt from his obituary in 1824:

"By his will he left for a college at Pointe Coupee, 20,000 dollars. For marriage portions to poor girls of said parish, 30,000 dollars. To each of his god-sons and goddaughters, 5,000 dollars. For marriage portions to poor girls of the parish of West Baton Rouge, 30,000 dollars. To the Charity Hospital of New Orleans, his house on the Levee, between St. Louis and Conti streets, and his house in Bourbon street. To the Poydras Female Asylum, all his houses in Poydras Street, and on the Batture."

Perhaps the tale of his jilted love is merely one of those stories that accrue to famous men. If so, it is a good one.

The period drama subgenre transports audiences to the past, immersing them in historical contexts and offering insights into the lives, relationships, and challenges of characters from different time periods.

Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, and Eliza Scanlen in Little Women (2019)

The tragic romance subgenre features a romantic relationship that ends in sorrow, heartbreak, or tragedy. Unlike the typical romance stories with happy endings, tragic romances explore the darker aspects of love, often involving circumstances that prevent the main characters from being together or lead to their separation through death, sacrifice, or other unfortunate events.

Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain (2005)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The history genre features recounting and analyzing past events, societies, cultures, and historical figures. This genre aims to provide insights into the development of civilizations, the causes and consequences of historical events, and the impact of individuals and ideas on the course of history.

The romance genre features the theme of romantic relationships and emotional connections between characters. These stories focus on the development of love, desire, and intimacy between protagonists, often exploring the challenges, conflicts, and triumphs that arise in their relationships.

Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

Story of Julian Poydras, whose encounter with a girl at Mardi Gras had a profound effect on his later life.

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Robert Young, Barbara Hale, and Frank Morgan in Lady Luck (1946)

Doris Day, Robert Cummings, and Phil Silvers in Lucky Me (1954)

Hedy Lamarr and William Powell in Crossroads (1942)

John Barrymore, Michael Curtiz, Donald Cook, Charles Butterworth, and Marian Marsh in The Mad Genius (1931)

Strange Testament

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