in the opening sequence of the film and we see three hollywood big shot while one and an actress and the other a director and and the third and a writer . all three very successful at what they do . the trio be in different way connect to johnathan shield and who at the present time be try to get the three to be a part of his comeback . the three be in no way anxious to work with him once again . johnathan and a big time hollywood producer and run his career into the ground by push away people and who in the end could of prolong his at one time successful profession . the three go on to tell their own intriguing story how they meet shield and explain how they grow to resent him . georgia and ( play wonderfully by lana turner ) now a popular actress begin a a bit player in one of shield film . shield in time and cast her a a lead in one of his picture . her anxiety of ruin her big break almost lead her to miss her fortunate opportunity . the film become a success and solidify georgia a a respected actress . she soon discovers johnathan romance another woman and lead her to walk away from her contract with shield and find success elsewhere with another studio . jim and a writer and have his novel purchase by shield to be turn into a motion picture . at shields request and he approach jim to write the screenplay to the film . jim dislike johnathan at first and in time and see him a something well . the two travel to the countryside to finish the screenplay . before hand and johnathan ask an actor to keep jim clingy wife away for a while . his wife rosemary and and the actor have a misfortunate accident and be kill in plane crash . unknowingly and johnathan reveals to jim and that he have a hand in his wife accidental death and mark the end of their friendship . then there fred and the hopeful and aspire director and who of all place meet shield at the man father funeral . in time and the two become partner and make a few film together and mostly mediocre picture . fred recommend to johnathan and that the two do a picture that be at first deem impossible . after it get the green light and out of nowhere and johnathan doesn not name fred the picture director and ironically and say he wasn not experience enough . obviously feel betray fred walk away like georgia do and acquire prosperity a a director and on his own . the reason for all of johnathan bizarre doings and be for the most part and because of his own need to live up to his father name and who found shield production and and become a big player in the industry . in the process he estrange himself from everyone who mean something to him . the phrase and what go around and come around really come into play and in the film climax . one of definite great of the 1950 . easily one of my top 20 of all time .