that one line summary make me sound like i be call the bad and the beautiful a case in tough love and where director vincente minnelli wag his finger at what happen to some people ( cough and david o. selznick and cough ) and while also show too the joy of work in the business . but it a business at it most booming time and come out of the 40 where the producer be king and and the director have to vie for room at time to really get his vision in . here the producer jonathan shield be play by kirk douglas a someone with big idea at first he even have an idea to help make a scary movie about cat even more frightening by not show the cat ( echo of val lewton ) . soon he rise the rank and become big enough to really call the shot all he want and but it also get in the way of personal relationship and severs tie and and sometimes even make him out to be monstrous ( there one shot i remember all the time where douglas and in a big fit of anger against lana turner character and seem like he a whole foot taller with the ego almost manifest ) . the narrative of the film be a retelling by people who know him and a sexy but soon disillusion actress and a director who once work with shield but then get cut off from him and and a writer play by dick powell . rashomon or citizen kane it be not in try to reveal more grandiose and amazing thing about human nature and but rather a supreme rumination on the good time and the bad time and possibly more of the latter . what great about douglas portrayal be that through the story from the three ex friend and co worker and lover and he become a very well rounded character . at the core and of course and be the producer who at the time have a more creative say than anyone else on the set . this bring some of the great scene ever show about movie making and such a the moment when amiel and the director and try to put jonathan in his place about how a scene should be shoot and in order to direct a picture you need humility . another come with the moment when jonathan and his soon to be asistant to the producer have to object out of just be stun . but more than douglas and it also tremendous and memorable screen time for lana turner and perhaps in her most successful performance in just sheer act term ( not necessarily just in presence or style like in other picture ) and and for dick powell and who with this and murder my sweet have two define role outside of his usual niche . with many sweet camera move and a script that crackle with the kind of scene and dialog that make one wish for the glory time of hollywood golden age and and at least four or five really excellent performance and the bad and the beautiful might not be a astound and near perfect a 8 half or as funny a bowfinger and but it rank up there with the best movie about movie making and and can make for some fine entertainment even for those who aren not really interested in how movie be make .