BORN TO BE BAD

US, 1950, 89 minutes, Black and white.
Joan Fontaine, Robert Ryan, Zachary Scott, Joan Leslie, Mel Ferrer.
Directed by Nicholas Ray.

Born To Be Bad is a noir melodrama, black and white photography, glossy style. It is a star vehicle for Joan Fontaine who appears as innocent as she was in Rebecca and Suspicion, but who is completely self-centred and disrupts everyone's life. She does this without even raising her voice. Robert Ryan is a tough novelist, Zachary Scott a suave millionaire. Joan Leslie is attractive as the woman defeated by Joan. Mel Ferrer is an artist.

It is 1950 soap opera, done in a stylish way, but soap opera nonetheless. It was directed by Nicholas Ray, who made such films as Knock on Any Door, A Woman's Secret at this time.

1. A melodrama of the 1950s? Glossy soap opera?

2. Black and white photography, style, polish? Musical score?

3. The title, the focus on Cristobel? The plausibility of the plot and characterisation?

4. Joan Fontaine as Cristobel: the audience prepared for her arrival, her coming early, innocent and sweet, her beginning to interfere, not going to the play, trying to charm Curtis? Asleep, waking and finding Nick, the clash of personalities? Her taking Donna's place at work? Insinuating herself into Curtis's attentions? Her relationship with her uncle, getting the job? Being brought up in poverty with her aunt? Resenting the poverty? Work, study, the firm? Her visit to Nick, relating to him, falling in love, her rejecting his novel? Curtis and his money and position, her being in his company, buying the jewellery for Donna and insinuating Donna's mistrust? The discussion about the jewellery and Donna being upset? The test about marrying him for her money? Being painted, Gabriel and his attention? The visit to the gallery and the buying of the painting? The final clash with Donna and Donna telling her the truth? Her decision to marry Curtis? High society, the various committees, getting rid of her aunt? her uncle seeing through her but supporting her? Curtis and the buying of the jewellery and her rejection of the cameo? Nick and his novel, her telling lies, visiting him? The note about her aunt? The clash with Nick and being found out? Curtis and his rejection of her? Her leaving, talking with Gabriel, the rising price of the portrait? Selfish and evil, quiet, smiling, lies?

5. Donna and her attractiveness, marrying Curtis, preparing for the party, at work, her reading of Nick's novel, giving it to John? The incident with the jewels and her being embarrassed by Curtis and his questions, the tension between the two, the break-up of the engagement. her telling the truth to Cristobel? The irony of her tripping over her case? Meeting Curtis again, the happy ending?

6. Curtis, personality, money, the engagement, his influence for the tickets, the encounter with Cristobel, attracted, buying the engagement presents, the question of the Jewels, Cristobel and the talk about marrying for money, his being upset, the clash with Donna, marrying Cristobel, in society, not seeing her much? The money, the buying of the jewels and her rejection of it? The note about her aunt, the irony of the lies, ousting her? meeting Donna again, happy ending?

7. Nick as tough, the writer, attracted to Cristobel, going away, the news about her marrying Curtis and her double act? Seeing her again, leading her on, telling her the truth?

8. The uncle and his giving her the job, seeing what she was like? Her aunt and her upbringing, rejecting her aunt, using her and sending her back rejected, her illness and death?

9. San Francisco society, art, novels, business, socials?

10. A soap opera fable about good and evil?