The Hard Way

Yet another film about what it takes to be a star. It starts to become a little overwrought, and personally I would have liked to have a few more ice-in-the-veins Lupino scheming moments than those song-and-dance numbers. While we can debate whether Bette Davis might have been better in the Lupino part (I say Ida held her own), I think George Sanders would have been better as Paul.

The Hard Way (1943) is a ambitious rise to stardom picture, trying to make it tragic, almost completely miscasting many of the important roles to make much of it effective. So the films ends up resting heavily on Ida Lupino. Luckily she delivers! In simple: Ida is great!

It's an old ambitious-gal-stepping-on-everyone-in-her-way plot, but Miss Lupino gives it some dignity. The first half is well done but producer's luck runs out in the final reels.

Unconvincing but well-mounted drama.