BORN TO BE BAD

Joan Fontaine and Robert Ryan

BORN TO BE BAD (1950). Director: Nicholas Ray. Colorized. 

As a child Christabel (Joan Fontaine of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea) was sent to live with her maiden aunt (Virginia Farmer) -- a woman of modest means -- instead of with her wealthy uncle, so she has grown up wanting what others have. This includes Curtis (Zachary Scott), the rich fiance of her uncle's secretary, Donna (Joan Leslie),  with whom she moves in to work her wiles. Christabel, who seems sweet, shy and innocent, sets her cap for Curtis, subtly dissuading him away from "mercenary" Donna, but also can't keep her hands off the more virile author, Nick (Robert Ryan), who also falls under her spell. One of these men she will snare and bring to the altar, but that won't stop her from wanting the other man as well ... 

Zachary Scott and Joan Leslie

With Born to be Bad, Fontaine enters Bette Davis-Joan Crawford territory, but as she plays a character who employs a more sinister, shady technique instead of sharp, vitriolic bombast, she may seem less vivid than those other actresses. But Fontaine is nevertheless excellent in the role, and her almost constant smiling -- no matter what she's saying or thinking -- makes her seem like the most hideous of sociopaths. The other cast members are all top-notch, and this includes Mel Ferrer as painter and observer Gobby, who is both amused and appalled by Christabel and makes funny and sardonic comments. The trouble with this very entertaining soap opera is that the wind-up is rather flat. This movie was spoofed on The Carol Burnett Show as "Raised to Be Rotten!"

Verdict: Joan schemes, wins, and loses in grand style. ***