producer jonathan shield be in big trouble on a production and reach out to three people he befriend and betray in the past for help . all three be bring to harry pebbel office where he make a pitch for the help of each one . and be tell in flashback the dynamic of the relationship between shield and each one . one thing about tinseltown and they have never be afraid to show the seamy side of movie making . kirk douglas jonathan shield be a not too thinly disguised version of david o. selznick . the same drive and the same ambition and the same overwhelming ego that selznick be legendary for be a part that be tailor make for kirk douglas . the three betrayed people and director fred amiel ( barry sullivan ) and star georgia lorrison ( lana turner ) and and screenwriter james lee barlow ( dick powell ) all ring very true . one of the thing i like about this film be that all three story and each in itself and could be expand into a film all it own . lana turner role a the ersatz diana barrymore be not to hard to spot either . it so much good here than the film base on her own book too much too soon . if that voice of turner actor father on those 78 rpm she play sound familiar and it that of louis calhern . turner be a life live out all too well in the tabloid and she bring all of it to bear in play gerogia lorrison . dick powell and who be offer the lead a jonathan shield and opt to play tweedy professor turn screenwriter james lee barlow . this be powell next to last feature picture a an actor and it should have be the one he go out on . powell be always ahead of the industry cut edge and he decide to concentrate more on direct and act for the small screen . powell segment include gloria grahame a his flirty wife . post world war ii hollywood and whenever it have a part for a tramp and first call gloria grahame . here she respond with an academy award win performance . she hasn not many scene and but a be say in another mgm picture around that time and what there be be cherce . i do not think there ever be an actor who can go from zero to sixty on the emotional scale as quickly a kirk douglas . check the scene when lana turner discover how douglas betray her . the intensity of his reaction alone be frighten and real . douglas be also up for an oscar and but it go that year to laconic gary cooper in high noon . vincente minelli put all the piece together just right and it come out great entertainment .