Born to Be Bad

Released Jul 15, 1950

1h 34m

Drama

List

75%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

58%

Audience Score

250+ Ratings

Christabel Caine (Joan Fontaine) has the face of angel and the heart of a swamp rat. She'll step on anyone to get what she wants, including her own family. A master of manipulation, she covertly breaks off the engagement of her trusting cousin, Donna (Joan Leslie), to her fabulously wealthy beau, Curtis Carey (Zachary Scott). Once married to Curtis herself, Christabel continues her affair with novelist Nick Bradley (Robert Ryan), who knows she's evil, but loves her anyway.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Apple TV

Rent Born to Be Bad on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

This is a lively, vicious, and daring film.

Oct 22, 2007

Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

One of Nicholas Ray's trashiest movies, 'Born to Be Bad' is like the fun flip-side to 'All About Eve,' without the theater or the luster.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 20, 2024

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...seemingly foolproof subject matter that’s employed to relentlessly erratic effect by Ray...

Rated: 2.5/4

Jun 30, 2024

Full Review

Roger Moore

Movie Nation

A lower-stakes version of “All About Eve” without the guts to let the “Bad” girl get her way, by hook or by crook. But the movie surrounding Fontaine can be bitchy fun

Rated: 2.5/4

Jan 6, 2024

Full Review

Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

A film noir from Ray in which nothing intriguing happens in the hour and a half that the upstart affair lasts. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 4/10

Jul 8, 2022

Full Review

Michael E. Grost

Classic Film and Television

Lively romantic melodrama with a creative use of architecture.

Jan 30, 2012

Full Review

Read all reviews

Martin B

Love Robert Ryan in this role. Edgy, irreverant, complex and a pretty good target for a love interest not his usual roll. Joan Fantaine's character bad but not irredeemable. Zachary Scott perfectly cast as the rich guy without a clue. Just a loaded cast and they all delivered on this simple but satisfying script.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/27/24

Full Review

nick s

Great acting and interesting premise. It felt like a few moments turned on a dime, but I guess that was a product of the time... trying to get a lot of story into a compressed timeline. The director also had the moral constraints of the day to contend with. But a very compelling drama. I enjoyed it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Excellent film noir, classic performances all around not only stars but supporting cast, Fontaine at her best, beautiful and evil, Ryan on fire as always, even Scott shines, Leslie commanding and comes to her own in a mature performance, please if you can watch the dvd with the alternate ending, much better, RKO regulars, the great cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca, great film

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/07/23

Full Review

Russ G

This dragged so badly I couldn't make it past the 16 minute mark, but already I see Robert Ryan portraying a First Class A-hole.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/30/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Joan Fontaine's portrayal of Christabel should serve as the Hollywood archetype for the scheming, money hungry, and social-standing obsessed figure. Try and watch the version with the Howard Hughes third act.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Her Beauty made her ruthless

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/11/21

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Nicholas Ray

Director

Joan Fontaine

Christabel Caine Carey

Robert Ryan

Nick Bradley

Zachary Scott

Curtis Carey

Joan Leslie

Donna Foster

Mel Ferrer

Gabriel "Gobby" Broome

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Clash by Night

65%

69%

Clash by Night

Kitty Foyle

75%

72%

Kitty Foyle

Berlin Express

80%

62%

Berlin Express

Stromboli

67%

81%

Stromboli

Easy Living

40%

28%

Easy Living

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Christabel Caine (Joan Fontaine) has the face of angel and the heart of a swamp rat. She'll step on anyone to get what she wants, including her own family. A master of manipulation, she covertly breaks off the engagement of her trusting cousin, Donna (Joan Leslie), to her fabulously wealthy beau, Curtis Carey (Zachary Scott). Once married to Curtis herself, Christabel continues her affair with novelist Nick Bradley (Robert Ryan), who knows she's evil, but loves her anyway.

Director: Nicholas Ray
Producer: Robert Sparks
Production Co: RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 15, 1950, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009
Runtime: 1h 34m

Most Popular at Home Now