Born to Be Bad

Now that's a femme fatale. Fontaine does well as the beautiful black widow spider, luring in men to get what she wants. The casting is strong, but there's just something a little lacking -- for a love triangle, there's not quite the amount of passion one would expect. And in an era where the bad were always punished, this had a surprisingly upbeat ending.

One of the broader performances you'll get from Joan Fontaine. Almost comically as she plays her men. Absolutely enjoyable, but I'm not sure how serious can take it.

Viewed July 7, 2020. "I love you so much I wish I liked you."

Doesn't feel fully like a Ray flick. Good performance by Ryan.

It's a fun movie with a "be careful what you wish for theme," but it's really the Joan Fontaine show and she's wonderful. She's opposite Robert Ryan, and does her best impression of him, ruthless and charming and with that threat of becoming unhinged at any moment. The rest of the narrative is a bit underdeveloped, but it hardly matters.

An "All About Eve" without the theater. Joan Fontaine is a little too saccharine and obvious as the social climbing Christabel, but Robert Ryan and Scott are good as her men, and Mel Ferrer very good indeed as the gay painter and friend who observes it all with cynical amusement. Nick Ray directs well, but the screenplay is nothing special.

It's not a special film, but it's nice to see how Christabel, little by little, takes over these two men around her -- and actually how Robert Ryan is great as an ironic but passionate man.