Born to Be Bad(1950).

Born to Be Bad(1950). Melodrama directed by Nicholas Ray. Cast: Joan Fontaine and Robert Ryan. It is based on the novel.. All Kneeling, by Anne Parrish.

On the same day that Donna Foster, is planning on hosting a party for artist, Gabriel, her boss John Caine's niece, Christabel, arrives to attend the local college.

 

When Christabel first meets Donna's fiance, wealthy Curtis Carey, she immediately begins making plans to take him away from Donna. Nick Bradley, a friend of Donna's becomes very attracted to Christabel. Even though.. Nick sees her has very opportunistic.

Later, when Christabel, is having her portrait painted by Gobby, Curtis calls, asking her to meet him at a jewelry store. After breaking her date with Nick, Christabel, is disappointed to find out that he only wants her to help him buy an engagement present for Donna. Christabel, tries to talk Curtis into giving Donna a cameo, but.. Curtis chooses a beautiful sapphire necklace instead. Donna, loves the necklace until Christabel says " that she is very surprised that she would want such a expensive gift". Donna, later tells Nick "that she is worried that Curtis may think she is marrying him only for his money".

Later, at Gobby's art opening, Curtis shares with Christabel his fears that Donna is a gold digger. Christabel, then suggests that Curtis have a pre-nuptial agreement with Donna written up. When Curtis mentions Christabel's idea to Donna, she is deeply hurt.

Later that night, after Curtis buys Christabel's portrait, Donna informs Chistable that she broke off her engagement with him. Seeing her opportunity, Christabel asks her uncle to please allow her to stay in San Francisco, just to attend the charity ball.

At the ball, Christabel sets her sights on Curtis, who is also attracted to her. When Christabel tells Nick, that she is marrying Curtis, he tells her that she will never be happy married to him. After Christabel and Curtis marry, Christabel throws herself into charitable committees and planning balls. Christabel, comes up with a plan to have Clara, who has been living with her since her marriage, shipped back to Santa Flora, because she is worried that she will have too much influence on Curtis.

Christabel's, social plans causes Curtis to question her love for him and worries that she is still in love with Nick and suggests that they go for a weekend get away. Christabel, slips away from the resort, leaving a note claiming that Clara, needs her back in Santa Flora. Christabel meets secretly with Nick, to rekindle their romance. Nick, soon realizes that Christabel only wants to have an affair with him and turns her down. When Christabel returns home, she finds out that Clara died earlier that afternoon. Curtis, now knowing that Christabel is only using him for his money, insists that she leave with only her furs.

She is not down for long.. Christabel, has a car accident and ends up in a hospital. She soon becomes involved in a love affair with her surgeon, whose wife sues her for alienation of affection. Later, after Curtis and Donna reunite, Christabel sees a lawyer about the lawsuit which turns into another scandal.

I thought it was a wonderful film, with perfect casting, stylish sets and costumes. One scene that really surprised me is when, Fontaine returns home after her love scene with Robert Ryan and takes a bath just before husband Zachary Scott returns home. Whew!! A must see film for all Fontaine and Robert Ryan fans.

Joan Leslie, got her first major role in the thriller High Sierra with Humphrey Bogart, playing a crippled girl.
She also starred in Sergeant York and The Wagons Roll at Night in that same year.

Later in 1942 she appeared as James Cagney's wife in Yankee Doodle Dandy, and at the age of 18 in 1943, she starred in The Sky's the Limit with Fred Astaire.

In 1946 exhibitors voted her the most promising "star of tomorrow". She starred in many more movies until 1950, when she married Dr. William Caldwell.

Her last movie role was in The Revolt of Mamie Stover in 1956, and she eventually retired from acting to take care of her identical twin daughters Patrice and Ellen.

She has appeared in several television commercials and also made guest appearances in the TV shows Murder, She Wrote and Charlie's Angels.

She also provided commentary as extras on the Yankee Doodle Dandy, Sergeant York, and High Sierra DVDs.

Joan was a regular volunteer at the Hollywood Canteen where she danced with the servicemen and granted hundreds of autographs.

In 1944, she starred with Robert Hutton in the film, Hollywood Canteen.

Woman on the Beach(1947)

The Woman on the Beach (1947). film noir directed by Jean Renoir. Cast: Robert Ryan, Joan Bennett and Charles Bickford.



After waking up from a nightmare, Lieutenant Scott Burnett, becomes curious about the woman on the beach, named Peggy Butler, a married woman he sees on his daily patrol and the woman he sees in his nightmares. 

Scott asks his girl friend, Eve Geddes, to marry him that night, but.. she asks Scott to wait another two weeks. 

Later, Scott sees Peggy on the beach collecting fire-wood from an abandoned shipwreck, he stops and tells Peggy not to take the wood. She asks him if he is haunted by "ghosts" of the ship and then invites him to back to her house.

Peggy's husband Tod, is a blind, famous artist joins them. Tod invites Scott to stay, but he thinks it best to return to his station. 

Later that night, Tod shows up at the station and invites Scott to have dinner at his house and Scott, who is supposed to meet Eve in town, agrees, standing her up. During dinner, Scott and Tod talk about Tod's blindness. 

Later, Peggy confesses to Scott that she stays with Tod because she accidentally cut his optic nerve during a drunken fight and feels responsible for him. Scott, doubts that Tod is really blind and comes up with a plan to prove that he really can see.. Will he succeed?

There is some beautifully haunting imagery and Robert Ryan, in my opinion, gives a strong performance as does Joan Bennett . There's an interesting love triangle going on here, along with a very well done mystery.

Charles Bickford (January 1, 1891 – November 9, 1967) was an  actor best known for his supporting roles.

He was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for The Song of Bernadette (1943), The Farmer's Daughter (1947), and Johnny Belinda (1948).

Other notable roles include Whirlpool (1948), A Star is Born (1954) and The Big Country (1958).

Happy Birthday: Robert Ryan!

Ryan wanted a career in show business as a playwright, but had to turn to acting to support himself. He studied acting in Hollywood and performed on stage and in small film parts during the early 1940s.

In January 1944, after winning a contract with RKO Radio Pictures, Ryan enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served as a drill instructor at Camp Pendleton, in San Diego, California. At Camp Pendleton, he befriended writer and future director Richard Brooks.

Ryan's breakthrough film role was in the film, Crossfire (1947), a film noir based on Brooks's novel.

The role won Ryan his sole career Oscar nomination, for Best Supporting Actor. On Dangerous Ground (1951) he portrayed a burnt-out city cop finding redemption while solving a murder. In the film, The Set-Up (1949), he played an over-the-hill boxer who is brutally punished for refusing to take a dive. Other important films were The Naked Spur, House of Bamboo, Bad Day at Black Rock, and Odds Against Tomorrow. He also performed in several war films including, The Longest Day (1962) and Battle of the Bulge (1965), and The Dirty Dozen. He also played John the Baptist in the epic, King of Kings (1961) and was the villainous Claggart in, Billy Budd (1962). Ryan's best known performance's were in the films, The Dirty Dozen, The Professionals (1966) and The Wild Bunch (1969).

Robert Ryan

Robert Ryan, studied acting in Hollywood and performed in small film parts during the early 1940s. In January 1944, after making a contract with RKO Radio Pictures, Ryan enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served as a drill instructor at Camp Pendleton, in San Diego, California. At Camp Pendleton, he became friends with writer and future director Richard Brooks.

Robert Ryan, often played hardened cops and ruthless villains. Ryan's first film performance was in Crossfire (1947), a film noir based on Brooks's novel. The film is about a man who is killed by a drunken, American soldier because he was Jewish. The film also shows the post-World War II issue of soldiers being released from the military with no training other than as soldiers. The role won Ryan his only Oscar nomination, for Best Supporting Actor.

In the film, On Dangerous Ground (1951) he played a burnt-out city cop finding redemption while solving a murder.



Ryan went on to perform in the film, The Set-Up (1949), where he played an over-the-hill boxer. Other important films were: The Naked Spur, House of Bamboo, Bad Day at Black Rock, Odds Against Tomorrow, The Longest Day (1962), Battle of the Bulge (1965), The Dirty Dozen, King of Kings(1961) and Billy Budd (1962).

CLASH BY NIGHT (1952)

THIS WEEKS SPOTLIGHT : CLASH BY NIGHT (1952)- a Disneyprincess, movie selection. :)

Director Fritz Lang, created a very tense realistic drama about lust and betrayal with CLASH BY NIGHT(1952), Terrific performances by Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Ryan, and an early performance by Marilyn Monroe .

The story is about a very cynical Mae Doyle, returning home after 10 years, to the fishing village in Monterey, where she grew up. Her brother, a fisherman Joe Doyle, takes her into his home. Mae soon starts a relationship with Jerry D'Amato, a decent caring man who owns the boat where Joe works. He introduces her to his obnoxious friend Earl Pfeiffer, who works at theater in town and is married to wife that is cheating on him.. She does not like Earls jokes, but Jerry considers him his friend so she continues to put up with him. Mae accepts Jerry's marriage proposal, and one year later they have a baby girl. When the wife of Earl leaves him, he starts an affair with Mae, who is bored with her marriage. Will Mae realize her mistakes before it is too late?

Marilyn Monroe, had a small part as Joe's girl friend Peggy, who works at the local sardine cannery. She looks up to Mae, and confides to her she wants excitement in her life, and not to be controlled by men.