“The Bad and the Beautiful” is a melodrama about a domineering movie producer who alienates everyone around him. Director Vincente Minnelli (“An American in Paris” 1951) put together an engrossing melodrama with several storylines going on at once, all packed into the 113 minute running time of the picture. The excellent script was penned by Charles Schnee, adapted from the 1952 show biz novel “Of Good and Evil” by George Bradshaw.
The cast is headed by Kirk Douglas as producer Jonathan Shields and Lana Turner as actress Georgia Lorrison, who had to deal more than anyone with the temperamental Shields. The supporting cast is packed with major talent like Walter Pidgeon, Dick Powell, Barry Sullivan, Gloria Grahame, Gilbert Roland, Leo G. Carroll, Vanessa Brown, Paul Stewart, Sammy White, Elaine Stewart, Ivan Triesault, Lucy Knoch, and Barbara Billingsley, a few years before her most famous role as June Cleaver in television’s “Leave It to Beaver” (1957-1963).
This watchable look into Hollywood’s sometimes unpleasant goings-on behind the scenes, “The Bad and the Beautiful,” was popular in theatrical release for producer John Houseman and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It won five Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress (Grahame), Best Screenplay (Schnee), Best Art Direction/Black-and-White, Best Costume Design, and Best Cinematography/Black-and-White (Robert Surtees). The sole non-winner was Best Actor (Douglas).
The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)
cinema
My Review
“The Bad and the Beautiful” is a melodrama about a domineering movie producer who alienates everyone around him. Director Vincente Minnelli (“An American in Paris” 1951) put together an engrossing melodrama with several storylines going on at once, all packed into the 113 minute running time of the picture. The excellent script was penned by Charles Schnee, adapted from the 1952 show biz novel “Of Good and Evil” by George Bradshaw.
The cast is headed by Kirk Douglas as producer Jonathan Shields and Lana Turner as actress Georgia Lorrison, who had to deal more than anyone with the temperamental Shields. The supporting cast is packed with major talent like Walter Pidgeon, Dick Powell, Barry Sullivan, Gloria Grahame, Gilbert Roland, Leo G. Carroll, Vanessa Brown, Paul Stewart, Sammy White, Elaine Stewart, Ivan Triesault, Lucy Knoch, and Barbara Billingsley, a few years before her most famous role as June Cleaver in television’s “Leave It to Beaver” (1957-1963).
This watchable look into Hollywood’s sometimes unpleasant goings-on behind the scenes, “The Bad and the Beautiful,” was popular in theatrical release for producer John Houseman and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It won five Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress (Grahame), Best Screenplay (Schnee), Best Art Direction/Black-and-White, Best Costume Design, and Best Cinematography/Black-and-White (Robert Surtees). The sole non-winner was Best Actor (Douglas).