know more for his stylish mgm musical and director vincente minnelli pull out all the stop for this classic 1952 melodrama about a ruthless film producer and jonathan shield and who alienate all of those around him to build his fortune and legacy in hollywood . but this be no derivative jackie collins style potboiler with cardboard cut out a character . ignite by kirk douglas terrifically brutal performance a shield and the film be incessantly watchable similar in structure and perspective to orson welles citizen kane a the story track his rise to the top and fall from grace through three primary relationship the first with fred amiel and a director with whom shield partner early in their career and the second with georgia lorrison and an alcoholic bit player and daughter of a hollywood legend whom shield groom to become a big star and and the third with james lee bartlow and a writer whom shield try to make a screenwriter in spite of the constant interruption by bartlow southern belle wife rosemary . film in a rich black and white by veteran cinematographer robert surtees and the film be slick and penetrate at the same time and a deep dive character study of not only shield but the people who come to admire his tenacity and creativity only to be betray by his lack of character . composer david raksin music perfectly underline the emotional pull of the movie . minnelli have assemble a great cast to embody the story . ever resourceful with his trademark dimple granite chin and douglas do not make shield a complete villain but rather an intriguingly textured opportunist . you want to hate him but thanks to douglas natural charisma and you can not deny how he open the right door for the people around him . ideally cast a georgia in what be likely her career best performance and lana turner be surprisingly effective in what must have be quite a stretch for her meager act talent from pathetic drunk to cling starlet to haughty diva . longtime lead man dick powell and familiar character actor barry sullivan respectively portray bartlow and amiel with precision and an alternate sense of brotherly obligation and resentment toward shield . in a manner similar to the way he portray ziegfeld in william wyler later funny girl and walter pigeon play production executive harry pebbel with stentorian fervor . age matinée idol gilbert roland have an archetypal role a an actor who believe his own image a a latin lover and and in a few brief scene and gloria grahame fluidly capture rosemary purposeful flightiness and veiled frustration . you can even spot beaver mom barbara billingsley play a frustrated costume designer scold georgia on the way she walk in her creation . minnelli have concoct some really great scene and especially the open end conclusion . the best and however and have to be when georgia find a tawdry starlet ( play acerbically by elaine stewart and who much later become a game show hostess ) descend the stair at shield mansion at which point she flee and drive with hollywood style abandon in her car . while it fun to speculate on who be play who within hollywood lore and e. g. and shield a the doppelganger david o. selznick and georgia a diana barrymore ( daughter of john ) and the characterization be so rich that the guessing game be secondary . the dvd include an interesting 90 minute tcm documentary on turner and who apparently lead a life more scandalous and lascivious than anyone in the movie .