Born to Be Bad (1950 film)

Last updated
Born to Be Bad
Born to Be Bad (1950) cinema poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Nicholas Ray
Screenplay by Edith Sommer
Charles Schnee (adaptation)
Robert Soderberg (additional dialogue)
George Oppenheimer (additional dialogue)
Based onthe novel All Kneeling
1928 novel
by Anne Parrish
Produced byRobert Sparks
Starring Joan Fontaine
Robert Ryan
Zachary Scott
Joan Leslie
Mel Ferrer
Cinematography Nicholas Musuraca
Edited by Frederic Knudtson
Music by Frederick Hollander
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Release date
  • July 15, 1950 (1950-07-15)(US) [1]
Running time
94 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Born to Be Bad is a 1950 American film noir melodrama directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Joan Fontaine, Robert Ryan and Zachary Scott. It features Fontaine as a manipulative young woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. It is based on the bestselling novel All Kneeling by Anne Parrish (1928). [2]

Contents

Plot

Donna Foster works for publisher John Caine. She agrees to have his niece, Christabel, live with her in San Francisco while Christabel attends business school.

Christabel proves to be a scheming, socially ambitious tramp. She flirts with Donna's fiancé, the wealthy Curtis Carey, at a party for Donna's friend, painter Gabriel Broome. She also attracts the interest of aspiring author Nick Bradley.

While having her portrait done by Broome, a call from Curtis brings her eagerly to a jeweler, only to discover to her disappointment that he merely seeks her advice in buying Donna an engagement gift. After he purchases an expensive one, Christabel plants a seed of doubt in Donna's mind and makes her feel guilty by insinuating that in accepting such a lavish gift, Donna is giving Curtis the appearance of being after his money.

Christabel then turns around and cunningly does the same to Curtis by convincing him to propose a pre-nuptial agreement. Donna is offended and the couple break up, which turns out to have been Christabel's plan all along. With Curtis now available, Christabel rebuffs a marriage proposal from Nick, whose novel is about to be published by Caine.

A romance develops that leads to Christabel's marrying Curtis and becoming a high society lady. However, it turns out that she is still attracted to Nick, which she confesses when she sees him the evening of the ball. Unable to suppress her feelings for Nick, she slips away from a vacation resort for a secret rendezvous. However she is unwilling to commit fully to Nick, hoping that they can carry on their affair in secret until she can secure Curtis’ fortune. Nick is disgusted and tells her to get out.

As a cover for her reunion with Nick, Christabel left a note telling Curtis that she is going to see her aunt Clara. Her lie is exposed by Caine, her uncle, who informs Curtis that the aunt had died while Christabel claimed to be visiting her. Curtis storms out telling Christabel to be gone by the time he returns.

Curtis reunites with Donna after sending Christabel away with nothing more than a few expensive furs.

Cast

Reception

Film critic Dennis Schwartz gave the film a mixed review, writing, "Nicholas Ray ( Rebel Without A Cause / Johnny Guitar ) dips down a few levels from his illustrious opus to helm this trashy but stylishly entertaining melodrama. It's passable as a routine Hollywood woman's pic about bitchy social climber Christabel Caine (Joan Fontaine) ... Ray keeps all the viciousness going at full blast, thereby drawing an ugly picture about the bankrupt emotional state of society life." [3]

Film critic Craig Butler in his film review suggests suspending disbelief when watching the film, writing, "Although it's hardly a great movie, Born to Be Bad is a lot of fun – if one is in the mood for a bitchy, campy, over-the-top melodrama." [4]

In 1973, the thirteenth episode of the seventh season of The Carol Burnett Show featured a take-off of the film called "Raised to Be Rotten", with Carol Burnett as "Christinabel", Ruth Buzzi as "Darlene", Richard Crenna as "Buck" and Harvey Korman as "Kirk". [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Heiress</i> 1949 American drama film directed by William Wyler

The Heiress is a 1949 American romantic drama film directed and produced by William Wyler, from a screenplay written by Ruth and Augustus Goetz, adapted from their 1947 stage play of the same title, which was itself adapted from Henry James' 1880 novel Washington Square. The film stars Olivia de Havilland as Catherine Sloper, a naive young woman who falls in love with a handsome young man despite the objections of her emotionally abusive father who suspects the man of being a fortune hunter. Montgomery Clift stars as Morris Townsend, and Ralph Richardson as Dr. Sloper.

<i>Possessed</i> (1947 film) 1947 film by Curtis Bernhardt

Possessed is a 1947 American psychological drama directed by Curtis Bernhardt, starring Joan Crawford, Van Heflin, and Raymond Massey in a tale about an unstable woman's obsession with her ex-lover. The screenplay by Ranald MacDougall and Silvia Richards was based upon a story by Rita Weiman.

<i>Sudden Fear</i> 1952 film noir by David Miller

Sudden Fear is a 1952 American film noir thriller film starring Joan Crawford and Jack Palance in a tale about a successful woman who marries a murderous man. Directed by David Miller, the screenplay by Lenore J. Coffee and Robert Smith was based upon the novel of the same name by Edna Sherry.

<i>Screaming Mimi</i> (film) 1958 film by Gerd Oswald

Screaming Mimi is a 1958 American film noir directed by Gerd Oswald and starring Anita Ekberg, Philip Carey and Gypsy Rose Lee. The story originated as a 1949 novel of the same name by Fredric Brown.

<i>Beyond the Forest</i> 1949 American film noir directed by King Vidor

Beyond the Forest is a 1949 American film noir directed by King Vidor, and featuring Bette Davis, Joseph Cotten, David Brian, and Ruth Roman. The screenplay is written by Lenore Coffee based on a novel by Stuart Engstrand.

<i>The Damned Dont Cry</i> 1950 film by Vincent Sherman

The Damned Don't Cry is a 1950 American film noir crime-drama directed by Vincent Sherman and featuring Joan Crawford, David Brian, and Steve Cochran. It tells of a woman's involvement with an organized crime boss and his subordinates. The screenplay by Harold Medford and Jerome Weidman was based on the story "Case History" by Gertrude Walker. The plot is loosely based on the relationship of Bugsy Siegel and Virginia Hill. The film was directed by Vincent Sherman and produced by Jerry Wald. The Damned Don't Cry is the first of three cinematic collaborations between Sherman and Crawford, the others being Harriet Craig (1950) and Goodbye, My Fancy (1951).

<i>Flamingo Road</i> (film) 1949 film by Michael Curtiz

Flamingo Road is a 1949 American film noir drama directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Joan Crawford, Zachary Scott, Sydney Greenstreet and David Brian. The screenplay by Robert Wilder was based on a 1946 play written by Wilder and his wife, Sally, which was based on Robert Wilder's 1942 novel of the same name.

<i>They Wont Believe Me</i> 1947 film by Irving Pichel

They Won't Believe Me is a 1947 American film noir directed by Irving Pichel and starring Robert Young, Susan Hayward and Jane Greer. It was produced by Alfred Hitchcock's longtime assistant and collaborator, Joan Harrison. The film was made and distributed by Hollywood major studio RKO Pictures.

<i>Scandal Sheet</i> (1952 film) 1952 film by Phil Karlson

Scandal Sheet is a 1952 American film noir directed by Phil Karlson. The film is based on the novel The Dark Page by Samuel Fuller, who himself was a newspaper reporter before his career in film. The drama features Broderick Crawford, Donna Reed and John Derek.

<i>Poltergeist III</i> 1988 film by Gary Sherman

Poltergeist III is a 1988 American supernatural horror film co-written and directed by Gary Sherman, and starring Tom Skerritt, Nancy Allen, Heather O'Rourke and Zelda Rubinstein with the latter two reprising their roles from the previous films. The third and final entry in the original Poltergeist film series, it follows young Carol Anne Freeling, who is terrorized by malicious spirits while staying in her aunt and uncle's apartment at Chicago's John Hancock Center.

<i>Beyond a Reasonable Doubt</i> (1956 film) 1956 American film directed by Fritz Lang

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt is a 1956 American film noir legal drama directed by Fritz Lang and written by Douglas Morrow. The film stars Dana Andrews, Joan Fontaine, Sidney Blackmer, and Arthur Franz. It was Lang's second film for producer Bert E. Friedlob, and the last American film he directed.

<i>Strait-Jacket</i> 1964 film by William Castle

Strait-Jacket is a 1964 American psychological horror film directed and produced by William Castle, written by Robert Bloch and starring Joan Crawford. Its plot follows a woman who, having murdered her husband and his lover decades prior, is suspected of a series of axe murders following her release from a psychiatric hospital.

<i>Guilty Bystander</i> 1950 film by Joseph Lerner

Guilty Bystander is a 1950 American crime drama film noir directed by Joseph Lerner, and starring Zachary Scott and Faye Emerson. The film was shot on location entirely in New York City. It also marked the last motion picture screen appearances for character actors Mary Boland and J. Edward Bromberg.

<i>Mildred Pierce</i> (film) 1945 American melodrama/film noir film by Michael Curtiz

Mildred Pierce is a 1945 American melodrama/film noir directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, and Zachary Scott, also featuring Eve Arden, Ann Blyth, and Bruce Bennett. Based on the 1941 novel by James M. Cain, this was Crawford's first starring role for Warner Bros., after leaving Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. In 1996, Mildred Pierce was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected for preservation in the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.

<i>Knock on Any Door</i> 1949 film by Nicholas Ray

Knock on Any Door is a 1949 American courtroom trial film noir directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Humphrey Bogart. The movie was based on the 1947 novel of the same name by Willard Motley. The picture gave actor John Derek his breakthrough role as young hoodlum Nick Romano, whose motto was, "live fast, die young, and have a good looking corpse."

<i>Portrait in Black</i> 1960 American film by Michael Gordon

Portrait in Black is a 1960 American neo-noir melodrama film directed by Michael Gordon, and starring Lana Turner and Anthony Quinn. Produced by Ross Hunter, the film was based on the play of the same by name by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts, who also wrote the screenplay. The film was distributed by Universal-International. This was the final film appearance by actress Anna May Wong.

<i>Something to Live For</i> (film) 1952 film by George Stevens

Something to Live For is a 1952 American drama film starring Joan Fontaine, Ray Milland, and Teresa Wright, directed by George Stevens, and released by Paramount Pictures. The screenplay by Dwight Taylor was the first to focus on the Alcoholics Anonymous program as a means of overcoming an addiction to liquor.

<i>Cry Terror!</i> 1958 American thriller film

Cry Terror! is a 1958 American crime thriller film starring James Mason, Inger Stevens, and Rod Steiger. The story was written and directed by Andrew L. Stone. Neville Brand, Jack Klugman and Angie Dickinson appear in support.

<i>Bad for Each Other</i> 1953 film by Irving Rapper

Bad for Each Other is a 1953 American drama film noir directed by Irving Rapper and starring Charlton Heston, Lizabeth Scott and Dianne Foster. It was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures. Its genre has been characterized as a "medical melodrama" with a film noir "bad girl".

<i>The Man Who Found Himself</i> 1937 film by Lew Landers

The Man Who Found Himself, also known as Wings of Mercy, is a 1937 American aviation film based on the unpublished story "Wings of Mercy" by Alice B. Curtis. The film marked the first starring role for 19-year-old Joan Fontaine, who was billed as the "new RKO screen personality", highlighted following the end of the film by a special "on screen" introduction. Unlike many of the period films that appeared to glorify aviation, it is a complex film, examining the motivations of both doctors and pilots.

References

  1. "Born to Be Bad: Detail View". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  2. Born to Be Bad at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films . Accessed: August 6, 2013.
  3. Schwartz, Dennis Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine . Ozus' World Movie Reviews, film review, December 29, 2004. Accessed: July 10, 2013.
  4. Born to Be Bad. All Movie by Rovi, film review. Accessed: November 7, 2022.
  5. IMDB. "The Carol Burnett Show (1967–1978) Episode #7.13". IMDb . Retrieved August 22, 2017.