Ross Hunter revived Lana Turner’s career with this glossy remake of the 1934 Claudette Colbert film. It’s a classic mixture of camp, glamour, social commentary. But you can’t dismiss it because few Hollywood films of the time tackled race so head on – silly melodrama can do that.
It’s full of contradictions and complexity – Lana Turner is a selfish career-orientated bitch – but why should she give up her career to marry John Gavin just because he doesn’t want her to work? Susah Kohner is angry and mean – but why sholdn’t she be angry at a society that persecutes blacks? Or embarrassed by her mother, who just wants her to work as a librarian? Juanita Moore is kind, lovely and warm but is an Uncle Tom, with no ambition for her daughter to better herself – or spine to tell Lana Turner (her “friend” who does’nt even realise that Moore has other friends) to stick it. The only really likeable character is Sandra Dee; even she’s a bit patronising to Moore but at least she tries to keep her emotions in check when she falls for Gavin.
Best performances are from Dee and Kohner, who has the standout, showy role. Turner is dreadful, indicating all over the place, Moore is a noble savage (domestic maid version) and John Gavin is exactly like a Ken Doll come to life.
Robert Alda adds some professional zing as a sleazy agent and Troy Donahue gives perhaps his most effective performance as the low life who smacks around Kohner when he finds out she's black.
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