Nicholas Ray directed some interesting features back in the day, but few as interesting and engrossing as Born To Be Bad. I'm surprised with the beginning of the McCarthy Era and the omnipotent Code in place this one got out.
For one thing the bad girl doesn't come out so bad in the end. Joan Fontaine plays the scheming bad girl although like Eve Harrington she doesn't appear so bad at first. A guest to the wedding of friend Joan Leslie and the rich Zachary Scott she winds up stealing Scott away.
Fontaine is quite clever how she does it. Scott has a rich man's paranoia of being loved and wanted only for his money. She plays him like a piccolo where Leslie is concerned.
Still she's a girl who wants it all and bad boy Robert Ryan is her cup of tea. He sees her exactly for what she is but she does get his hormones racing.
Born To Be Bad is a most adult drama in a G rated era. In fact during that era when the government was on a search and destroy mission against gays in the military and government service Mel Ferrer as portrait painter confidante to all except Ryan in the film was about as daringly gay as you could get without an outright label. Ferrer has some priceless scenes and some great lines, especially the finale which he shares with Fontaine.
This one is a keeper. Do not miss Born To Be Bad if broadcast.
For one thing the bad girl doesn't come out so bad in the end. Joan Fontaine plays the scheming bad girl although like Eve Harrington she doesn't appear so bad at first. A guest to the wedding of friend Joan Leslie and the rich Zachary Scott she winds up stealing Scott away.
Fontaine is quite clever how she does it. Scott has a rich man's paranoia of being loved and wanted only for his money. She plays him like a piccolo where Leslie is concerned.
Still she's a girl who wants it all and bad boy Robert Ryan is her cup of tea. He sees her exactly for what she is but she does get his hormones racing.
Born To Be Bad is a most adult drama in a G rated era. In fact during that era when the government was on a search and destroy mission against gays in the military and government service Mel Ferrer as portrait painter confidante to all except Ryan in the film was about as daringly gay as you could get without an outright label. Ferrer has some priceless scenes and some great lines, especially the finale which he shares with Fontaine.
This one is a keeper. Do not miss Born To Be Bad if broadcast.