The Bad and the Beautiful 1952

     Jonathan Shields is a tough and ambitious Hollywood producer.  Jonathan's story is told in flashbacks and as he is seen through the eyes of various acquaintances.  This includes writer James Le Bartlow, star Georgia Lorrison and director Fred Amiel.  Shields is ruthless, hard-driving, ambitious and he uses everyone he comes in contact with for his own benefit.  He wants to become one of Hollywood’s top movie-makers.  It doesn’t matter how many toes he steps on as he makes his way up the success ladder.

     In the beginning, I thought this was slow paced and I didn’t know if I could stay with it?  It did start to get better but can be classified as a soap opera.  There are three segments about working the Jonathan, experiences of the writer, the star and the director.  Lana Turner was very beautiful and I especially liked the scene when she drives away from Shields’ home in the rain.  3* (This movie is OK)

118 min, Drama directed by Vincente Minnelli with Lana Turner, Kirk Douglas, Walter Pidgeon, Dick Powell, Barry Sullivan, Gloria Grahame, Gilbert Roland, Leo G. Carroll, Vanessa Brown, Paul Stewart Sammy White, Elaine Stewart, Ivan Triesault.

Note:  Imdb 7.9 out of 10, 96% critic 85% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, TCM Leonard Maltin 3.5* out of 4* user average 3.9 out of 5, Empire Online 4* out of 5*, 4.3* out of 5* with 89 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed in Beverly Hills, Culver City and San Bernardino National Forest, California.  Gloria Graham won an Oscar and her performance was 9 minutes and 32 seconds.  She held the record for shortest for a win until 1976 when Beatrice Straight won for a 5-minute performance in Network.  Originally there was a scene of Shields accepting a Best Picture Oscar for a film but he stole the idea for the film from his best friend.  Minnelli wanted to soften the depiction of Shields by cutting this scene.  Jonathan is a mixture of producer David O. Selznick, Orson Welles and producer Val Lewton.  Georgia is based on Diana Barrymore.  Writer Bartlow is based on college professor turned best-selling author turned screenwriter Paul Green.