Wow, what a trashy movie! This is NOT necessarily meant as a criticism, as the film makers were obviously trying to make an overwrought and sexy soap opera-style film. Subtle this is not--and if you like films like PEYTON PLACE or A DUEL IN THE SUN or TV shows such as "Dynasty" or "Falcon Crest", then you may enjoy RUBY GENTRY.
Ruby (Jennifer Jones) is a sexy southern girl from the wrong side of the tracks. She's in love with one man (Charlton Heston) but her heart is broken when he marries another simply because this other woman offers him an advancement in society. On the rebound, Ruby marries a nice and very wealthy guy (Karl Malden). However, at a big social event, Ruby shows a lot of attention to her old beau and people begin to talk. Now Ruby did NOT cheat on her husband and there is no indication that she didn't care for him--but people talk. And, when the husband dies accidentally in a boating accident, people suspect Ruby killed him. In fact, they are vicious towards her. So, in a wonderful turn of events, the now wealthy Ruby sets out to use her husband's money to destroy the town. Later, she works her best to try to win back her old beau--even though he is already married and seemed like a jerk.
I am not sure why Miss Jones did these sort of movies. Despite becoming famous for playing the angelic lead in SONG OF BERNADETTE, she went on to play quite a few slutty characters--such as in this film, DUEL IN THE SUN, INDISCRETION and MADAM BOVARY. Frankly, I didn't like her in these films and preferred her other roles--mostly because she wasn't all that convincing in these sort of films. RUBY GENTRY is a bit better than these other films, but it still is far from her best work. I think part of this is just because she just didn't seem slutty enough and seemed more suited to films such as PORTRAIT OF JENNY. She looked rather sweet and such roles would have worked better with actresses who specialized in these sort of films like Lana Turner or Joan Crawford. The other problem is that although I enjoy a good potboiler, these films of Miss Jones weren't particularly good films--especially DUEL IN THE SUN and INDISCRETION. Why her lover, David O. Selznick, pushed her into these roles is beyond me.
Despite these complaints, there was quite a bit to like about RUBY GENTRY. The idea of a poor girl becoming rich and using this new wealth to destroy the town that persecuted her is great. Too bad, then, that after doing so much to get revenge that the film become bogged down with the silly affair with Heston late in the film. The affair made little sense and tended to deflate the juicy plot. And, sadly, almost as soon as the affair began, the film just ended very abruptly! The film is a real mixed bag. It's a decent time-passer soap but could have been so much more.
Ruby (Jennifer Jones) is a sexy southern girl from the wrong side of the tracks. She's in love with one man (Charlton Heston) but her heart is broken when he marries another simply because this other woman offers him an advancement in society. On the rebound, Ruby marries a nice and very wealthy guy (Karl Malden). However, at a big social event, Ruby shows a lot of attention to her old beau and people begin to talk. Now Ruby did NOT cheat on her husband and there is no indication that she didn't care for him--but people talk. And, when the husband dies accidentally in a boating accident, people suspect Ruby killed him. In fact, they are vicious towards her. So, in a wonderful turn of events, the now wealthy Ruby sets out to use her husband's money to destroy the town. Later, she works her best to try to win back her old beau--even though he is already married and seemed like a jerk.
I am not sure why Miss Jones did these sort of movies. Despite becoming famous for playing the angelic lead in SONG OF BERNADETTE, she went on to play quite a few slutty characters--such as in this film, DUEL IN THE SUN, INDISCRETION and MADAM BOVARY. Frankly, I didn't like her in these films and preferred her other roles--mostly because she wasn't all that convincing in these sort of films. RUBY GENTRY is a bit better than these other films, but it still is far from her best work. I think part of this is just because she just didn't seem slutty enough and seemed more suited to films such as PORTRAIT OF JENNY. She looked rather sweet and such roles would have worked better with actresses who specialized in these sort of films like Lana Turner or Joan Crawford. The other problem is that although I enjoy a good potboiler, these films of Miss Jones weren't particularly good films--especially DUEL IN THE SUN and INDISCRETION. Why her lover, David O. Selznick, pushed her into these roles is beyond me.
Despite these complaints, there was quite a bit to like about RUBY GENTRY. The idea of a poor girl becoming rich and using this new wealth to destroy the town that persecuted her is great. Too bad, then, that after doing so much to get revenge that the film become bogged down with the silly affair with Heston late in the film. The affair made little sense and tended to deflate the juicy plot. And, sadly, almost as soon as the affair began, the film just ended very abruptly! The film is a real mixed bag. It's a decent time-passer soap but could have been so much more.