Linbeymusol Wonderful character development!

Colibel Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

bobsgrock This is the kind of film that very likely would be attempted to be remade in contemporary Hollywood but would fail almost instantly for the simple fact that actors and writers are unable to put on the kind of facade necessary to make this story work.In today's world of cutthroat savagery and postmodern skepticism, audiences would find it much more difficult to accept such a story with all of its contrivances and coincidences. Nevertheless, in a a simpler time, director Nicholas Ray could swing from an intense, foreboding noir like In a Lonely Place to this kind of story where an elegant, engaging and all too distracting woman like Joan Fontaine goes on the prowl for a man and creates a path of destruction seemingly unknown to herself.Fontaine gives quite a good performance in this film, playing the role as so disillusioned you are almost convinced that she does not know the kind of impact she is having on these people. In some way, you might sympathize with her despite her moral wretchedness. However, the best character is that of Robert Ryan, a savvy writer who sees right through Fontaine but decides he loves her anyway. Fontaine is not so decisive, leading to a string of messes involving a loving couple and Mel Ferrer as a wise-cracking artist commenting on the whole thing.Such a film is definitely aged in some peoples' eyes. Indeed, it would be difficult to see such a story filmed today without some modern, hip twist added to the story involving psychological torture or erotic fantasy. Yet, Ray gives us this story with all its blemishes and intricacies, daring us to accept every single one of them. Some sixty years later it may feel old and corny, but it still works on its own terms and has a dark underside to it that could never be done so subtly today.

seymourblack-1 This entertaining but over-the-top melodrama is based on Anne Parrish's novel called "All Kneeling" and features a malicious woman whose lust for wealth and power is so strong that she doesn't care who she hurts as she strives to achieve her selfish ambitions. Christabel Carey (Joan Fontaine) leaves a number of casualties in her wake and is certainly not the type of woman to see the error of her ways. In fact, by the end of the story, it becomes very clear that the reason that she acts as she does, is simply because she's hard-wired to do so.When his niece, Christabel, is due to attend Business School in San Francisco, publisher John Caine (Harold Vermilyea) arranges for her to live with his assistant Donna Foster (Joan Leslie). Christabel is a small town girl who was brought up by her aunt Clara (Virginia Farmer) and gives the impression of being rather innocent and demure. Christabel soon gets to know Donna's fiancé, Curtis Carey (Zachary Scott), her artist friend Gabriel "Gobby" Broome (Mel Ferrer) and Nick Bradbury (Robert Ryan), a novelist who's under contract to John Caine's firm.Christabel is powerfully attracted to Nick and his feelings for her are just as passionate but she also recognises that Curtis' considerable wealth could enable her to leave her modest background behind forever. In order to achieve her aim, Christabel tricks Curtis into suspecting that Donna is only interested in him for his money and his lack of trust in his fiancée soon leads to the end of their engagement. Shortly after the break-up, Curtis and Christabel get married and Nick, who recognises her for the duplicitous gold-digger that she is, leaves for Boston.Christabel revels in her newly found wealth and social status and immerses herself in charity work. Her commitment to this leaves little time for her and Curtis to develop the more intimate side of their relationship and Christabel's continuing interest in seeing Nick only makes matters even more complicated. Bigger problems follow when the extent of her scheming and her cruelty to Aunt Clara are fully recognised but typically, this doesn't lead to any form of contrition from Christabel."Born To Be Bad" has a great title, some amusing dialogue and a lively pace. Joan Fontaine lacks credibility in her role as it's impossible to ignore that she looks too old for the part she's playing. Robert Ryan, on the other hand, is convincing as "no-nonsense Nick" who knows precisely how two-faced Christabel is, but still finds her irresistible. Joan Leslie and Mel Ferrer are particularly good in their roles and the remainder of the cast also provide creditable performances.

edwagreen Joan Fontaine, as Christabel, comes into the scene as a meek, timid woman. Instead, she winds up marrying the fiancé of Joan Leslie. At the beginning, this reminded me of Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter) in "All About Eve," also 1950. Of course, Harrington knew what she wanted and would do anything to get it; on the other hand, Fontaine just doesn't know what she wants. That's where the picture goes awry. The part with the sick aunt, you knew that Christabel would use this as an excuse to stay away from husband Zachary Scott. Of course, the aunt's departure was obviously coming.For two slick, nasty guys on the screen, both Scott and Robert Ryan are comparatively mellow here as the men around Fontaine's orbit.A perfect vehicle for Fontaine as a selfish woman. Joan Leslie is rather bland here as the secretary who loses Scott to her.

Billie "Born To Be Bad" is basically a really bad variation on the classic Bette Davis film "All About Eve", without the theater background, and it is not a good movie. It's a really bad film in fact, but bad in a great way. It's a cheesy 1950's B-film, hilarious without intending to be - the best kind of classic camp."Born To Be Bad" has a surprisingly stellar cast, including Joan Fontaine (in the lead as the conniving Christabel Caine), Zachary Scott, Robert Ryan (at his hunky bad-guy best), Joan Leslie, and Mel Ferrer. The story centers around Christabel Caine, who seems innocent on the outside...but is pure opportunistic bitch on the inside.That's about all the plot line you need.Joan Fontaine is her usual melodramatic self, complete with her signature eyebrow antics - her left eyebrow always seemed to have a mind of its own - also apparent in her performances in films such as "Rebecca", "Suspicion" and well, every film she was ever in, come to think of it), but her role in "Born to Be Bad" suits her mannerisms well. She makes a great little sweet-faced bitch. The dialogue is completely over-the-top, and coupled with the melodramatic mannerisms of most of the cast (Robert Ryan and Joan Fontaine's scenes together are some of the best), makes for a very entertaining camp film.Nicolas Ray (who 5 years later directed the classic "Rebel Without A Cause") has created a total bomb, a classic of camp film that is worthy viewing for lovers of the genre.