The Bad and the Beautiful is sort of like Old Hollywood’s Rashomon. Three characters appear before a fourth to tell a story about a fifth; the three stories are different but interrelated, and the moral of each is the same: studio chief Jonathan Shields (Kirk Douglas) is a major a--hole and to know him is to hate him. Each tale is bookended by film producer Harry Pebbel (Walter Pidgeon) sarcastically condoling…
I took you out of the gutter... I can fling you back!
Told in flashback form, the film traces the rise and fall of a tough, ambitious Hollywood producer, Jonathan Shields, as seen through the eyes of various acquaintances, including a writer, James Lee Bartlow; a star, Georgia Lorrison; and a director, Fred Amiel. He is a hard-driving, ambitious man who ruthlessly uses everyone on the way to becoming one of Hollywood's top movie makers.
Top Cast
Lana Turner
Georgia Lorrison
Kirk Douglas
Jonathan Shields
Walter Pidgeon
Harry Pebbel
Dick Powell
James Lee Bartlow
Barry Sullivan
Fred Amiel
Gloria Grahame
Rosemary Bartlow
Leo G. Carroll
Henry Whitfield
Gilbert Roland
Victor "Gaucho" Ribera
Paul Stewart
Syd Murphy
Vanessa Brown
Kay Amiel
Elaine Stewart
Lila
Sammy White
Gus
Ivan Triesault
Von Ellstein
Lucy Knoch
Blonde Dancing with Gaucho (uncredited)
Jay Adler
Mr. Z (uncredited)
Stanley Andrews
Sheriff (uncredited)
Reviews
It all starts with poor old Walter Pidgeon ("Harry") assembling "Georgia" (Lana Turner), "Fred" (Barry Sullivan) and "Bartlow" (Dick Powell) in his office so he can persuade then to write, direct and star in one last picture for their nemesis "Jonathan Shields" (Kirk Douglas). They loathe him - with a passion, and "Harry" knows he has his work cut out if he is convince them. His preferred method is to remind each of…
FAQ about The Bad and the Beautiful
What is The Bad and the Beautiful about?
Told in flashback form, the film traces the rise and fall of a tough, ambitious Hollywood producer, Jonathan Shields, as seen through the eyes of various acquaintances, including a writer, James Lee Bartlow; a star, Georgia Lorrison; and a director, Fred Amiel. He is a…
When was The Bad and the Beautiful released?
The Bad and the Beautiful was released in 1952.
What genres does The Bad and the Beautiful belong to?
The Bad and the Beautiful is categorised as Drama, Romance.
Who stars in The Bad and the Beautiful?
The cast of The Bad and the Beautiful includes Lana Turner, Kirk Douglas, Walter Pidgeon, Dick Powell, Barry Sullivan.