we all love movie . that be why we come here and write our review and read other people opinion of them . but to make a site like this possible we need to have the finish article on our screen and and these movie be present in such a way that they seem effortless . never once be we to imagine that the whole scene be just a set and and the character on screen be merely pay actor . the bad and the beautiful break that mould . for once we be show the true gritty realism of what go on behind the camera . the studio system and the dodgy and sometimes sleazy wheeler dealing and the heartbreak and high running passion that go into make a motion picture . in short it be a movie about movie making . when a director and an actress and a writer be call into the office of movie mogul harry pebbel ( walter pigeon ) they be tell that movie producer jonathan sheilds have fall on hard time . he plan to make a come back but require their combined talent to pull it off . however all four of them have have extensive dealing with sheilds in the past and have all vow never to even talk to him again let alone work with him . each have their own reason a each have suffer at sheilds hand . the rest of the picture be tell in three individual flashback a it be explain just how and why sheilds deserves such animosity and with pebbels also explain just what they all go on to achieve because of him and in spite of him . the director be fred amiel ( barry sullivan ) who start out a sheilds partner when they be a young producer or director team find it hard to land a job . they have a very close friendship and make very low budget b picture . when the two men finally land a job with harry pebbel studio and their picture start to acquire success and with that come the ambition to produce big and good project . the two decide to take on amiel dream project and translate a best selling novel to the screen . amiel have write a solid screenplay and long more than anything to direct it . require a big budget and a list star and the two of them pull out all the stop to get the necessary backing from the studio . it pay off but in the negotiation amiel be all but drop from the project and instead opt for a good know and more experienced director . sheilds however rid his ambition and sign on for the project despite the railroading of his best friend and and with sheilds star on the rise and the two end their partnership and their friendship on a bitter and acrimonious note . the actress be georgia lorrison ( lana turner ) and the daughter of one of the early movie star and who torture pass she hide behind a bottle . despite her drunken exterior and sheilds who now own his own production company and studio and see the potential for a star quality lead lady and sign her on for his next picture . during the preparation for the picture she fall in love with sheilds . this couple with the pressure of her first major role be too much for her and so once again she find solace in drink which threaten to destroy the project . a a way of keep lorrison on track and sheilds convinces her that he too be in love and and help her develop a the actress she undoubtedly be . however when the film be release and lorrison become the new hollywood sensation and sheilds drop her like a hot potato and an act make even more callous by the fact he be already with another woman and have probably be so all the time . the writer be james lee bartlow ( dick powell ) a southern intellectual who first book have just be publish and sheilds intend to adapt it for the screen . after fly bartlow and his wife out to hollywood and sheilds convinces him to write the screenplay as well . bartlow be a happily marry man who home life have always come first and however sheilds believe that his wife be interfere with his work and so he engage his dash lead man goucho ( play by gilbert roland ) to turn on his latin charm and seduce the lady away from her husband while the screenplay be finish . this have tragic result a goucho and mrs bartlow be kill in a plane crash and while run away to mexico together so she can get a quick divorce and marry her new find latin lover . unaware that it be sheilds scheme that result in the infidelity and ultimate death of his wife and he find solace in sheilds and the two finally become close friend until the truth be finally unearthed . kirk douglas give what be in my opinion his great performance a the selfish and scheme jonathan sheilds and especially in the scene with lana turner . his power and emotion be so much deserving of the 1952 oscar which finally go to gary cooper in high noon . although selfish and egotistical and hes not necessarily a bad man . he have his moment of kindness and he genuinely be remorseful over the death of bartlow wife and in an early scene and he speak of how he want to make a star out of someone hollywood have throw onto the ash pile . a boy who make good and want to give something back . he would lie and cheat and sacrifice and tread on anybody heel to get his picture on the screen and but he be not evil through and through and like most cinematic baddie and indeed like some of the real hollywood producer who be out there at that time . yet with all and thanks to douglas perfect performance and jonathan sheilds be destine to remain one of cinema most loathsome and despicable character .