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Born to Be Bad

Play trailer Poster for Born to Be Bad 1950 1h 34m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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71% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 57% Popcornmeter 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.
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Born to Be Bad

Critics Reviews

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Dave Kehr Chicago Reader 10/22/2007
This is a lively, vicious, and daring film. Go to Full Review
Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid 07/20/2024
3.5/4
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. Go to Full Review
David Nusair Reel Film Reviews 06/30/2024
2.5/4
...seemingly foolproof subject matter that’s employed to relentlessly erratic effect by Ray... Go to Full Review
Yasser Medina Cinefilia 07/08/2022
4/10
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] Go to Full Review
Michael E. Grost Classic Film and Television 01/30/2012
Lively romantic melodrama with a creative use of architecture. Go to Full Review
TV Guide 10/22/2007
3.5/4
Ray's interest in the psychological state of his protagonist and its relationship to visual style makes the film mesmerizing. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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David K Dec 5 I have a hard time watching horrible people whose main character behavior is deception. So, it took three bites at the apple to get this one done. But, it's fun nonetheless. See more j f @LiberteBurrows Dec 4 Lady noir, no shortage of backstabbing and manipulation. See more Alain E @AlainE Jan 3 A very good movie that successfully depicts the life of a psychopathic woman whose interactions with others are entirely on a transactional basis. Definitely an act of bravery for Joan Fontaine to play the role. Lesser script and directing would have succumbed to exaggeration and hyperbole. Here , everything looks realistic. To my eyes Joan Leslie is more attractive than Fontaine, but for the script the other Joan is hotter. Maybe because she is mean. As one of her victims says: I love you so much, I wish I liked you. See more acsdoug D @acsdoug 08/31/2024 Joan Fontaine is terrific as a conniving gold digger. Her performance (and script) remains nuanced throughout, never devolving into over the top caricature. See more Martin B 06/27/2024 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. See more nick s 12/24/2023 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. See more Read all reviews
Born to Be Bad

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Movie Info

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
Screenwriter
Edith R. Sommer
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
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