Carnival girl Joan Crawford (looking pretty damn good for 45) settles in a small town. She falls in love with deputy sheriff Zachary Scott--but corrupt head sheriff Sydney Greenstreet wants her gone. He frames Crawford on prostitution and she's sent to jail. She gets out and is determined to get her revenge on Greenstreet...
The plot is kind of silly (and VERY rushed at the end) but I liked this movie. It's well-directed by Michael Curtiz and looks just beautiful--very elaborate. Warner Bros. obviously spent a lot of money on this one. When you get right down to it it's basically a soap opera--but a fun one!
Crawford gives one of her best performances. In reality she's too old for the role but she doesn't look it! You can't take your eyes off her when she's on screen. Scott is stuck with a colorless role. Also David Brian shows up as a politician and he's very good. And Gladys George shines as an owner of a "roadhouse". The big disappointment here is Greenstreet--he's just terrible! He's stone-faced throughout (he can't even register surprise in one crucial scene), looks very ill (but he was 70, overweight and diabetic) and slurs most of his dialogue which makes him appear drunk. He's very evil but his empty performance weighs the film down.
Still, worth seeing for Crawford alone. Easily one of her best.
The plot is kind of silly (and VERY rushed at the end) but I liked this movie. It's well-directed by Michael Curtiz and looks just beautiful--very elaborate. Warner Bros. obviously spent a lot of money on this one. When you get right down to it it's basically a soap opera--but a fun one!
Crawford gives one of her best performances. In reality she's too old for the role but she doesn't look it! You can't take your eyes off her when she's on screen. Scott is stuck with a colorless role. Also David Brian shows up as a politician and he's very good. And Gladys George shines as an owner of a "roadhouse". The big disappointment here is Greenstreet--he's just terrible! He's stone-faced throughout (he can't even register surprise in one crucial scene), looks very ill (but he was 70, overweight and diabetic) and slurs most of his dialogue which makes him appear drunk. He's very evil but his empty performance weighs the film down.
Still, worth seeing for Crawford alone. Easily one of her best.