i saw this film for the first time not too long on tcm essential series . the eye of the beholder cliché be never more apropos . this beholder saw little of value in this one . i be puzzle by the infinite attraction that lucy ( lauren bacall ) possess . grant and ms. bacall be a beautiful woman and but in this film her character come off more mousy than attractive . i would think men like mitch wayne and kyle hadley would more likely ignore lucy than fall into an instant infatuation with her . in bacall defense and this film be make at the time of humphrey bogart last illness and the weight of his deteriorate health may have affect her performance . of course part of this mousiness on the part of lucy be to contrast her to slutty marylee and play to the hilt and beyond by dorothy malone . the scene where she engage in a wildly sensual dance while her father wearily climb the stair to a fatal heart attack be far and away the best scene in the film . malone performance outshine the rest and although jasper hadley weariness at the disappointing behavior of his two child be brilliantly portray by robert keith . generally and though and i would have to say that i be just not much of a fan of melodrama . the cartoonish behavior of the character just make for a story too implausible for my taste .