still enjoyable after all these year . this be what hollywood like to think would pass for gritty expose but be little more than a glossy and retelling of hoary industry myth . ( for an update on the story see altman the player ) kirk douglas ( at the absolute top of his game here ) play the s. o. b. producer and lana turner ( in that brief moment between the baby fat and middle age that seem to overtake her so swiftly ) a the cynical and hard drinking and vulnerable and showbiz outcast and near ex actress and barry sullivan a the neophyte director look for a break and walter pidgeon a the bottomline fixate studio head and and dick powell a the pulitzer prize win author and font of high quality original material . the support cast be chock full of quality type and gloria grahame have some nice moment a powell wife and gilbert roland a a latin horndog and the magnificent elaine stewart a the current object of his rut interest . douglas jonathan shield be brilliant and ruthless and in fact and so brilliant that it difficult to see how he come to be in such poor circumstance at the opening of the film . but he quickly surround himself with the component necessary to move smartly up the ladder and therein and of course and lie the rub . he see those around him as little more than component and they recognise the opportunity for great wealth and fame he offer them while they luxuriate in the comfortable fiction that their relationship to him be more than just business . hurt feeling and gnashing of teeth to follow but not before the turner character have a career again and the sullivan character have a resume and the pidgeon character be awash in black ink and the powell character have bank thousand of relative easy dollar and accumulate enough first hand material for a blockbuster on hollywood babylon . director vincente minnelli deliver a solid entertainment and it should be measure a just that . it be a well make melodrama that expose little about the real hollywood . it do not match the sophistication of all about eve nor the mesmerising drama of sunset boulevard but it will hold your attention for the full running time and amuse you in the bargain .