''Ruthless'' is a 1948 American

film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by Edgar G. Ulmer starring Zachary Scott,

Sydney Greenstreet Sydney Hughes Greenstreet (December 27, 1879 – January 18, 1954) was a British and American actor. While he did not begin his career in films until the age of 61, he had a run of significant motion pictures in a Hollywood career lasting t ...

and Louis Hayward.

Plot

Horace Vendig shows himself to the world as a rich philanthropist. In fact, the history of his rise from his unhappy broken home shows this to be far from true. After being taken in by richer neighbors he started to exhibit an obsessive and selfish urge to make more and more money, loving and leaving women at will to further this end.

Cast

* Zachary Scott as Horace Vendig * Louis Hayward as Vic Lambdin * Diana Lynn as Martha / Mallory *

as Mansfield *

Lucille Bremer Lucille Bremer (February 21, 1917 – April 16, 1996) was an American film actress and dancer. Biography Bremer was born in Amsterdam (city), New York, Amsterdam, New York, but soon moved to Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where ...

as Christa Mansfield * Martha Vickers as Susan Duane * Dennis Hoey as Mr. Burnside * Edith Barrett as Mrs. Burnside * Raymond Burr as Peter Vendig * Joyce Arling as Kate Vendig * Charles Evans as Bruce McDonald * Bob Anderson as Horace as a child * Arthur Stone as Vic as a child * Ann Carter as Martha as a child * Edna Holland as Libby Sims * Frederick Worlock as J. Norton Sims * Claire Carleton as Bella * Larry Steers as Dinner Attendee (uncredited)

Critical reception

At the time of its release, the staff at '' Variety'' magazine panned the film: "Despite a sextet of name players, ''Ruthless'' is a victim of clichéd and outmoded direction and of weary dialog to which no actor could do justice. Performances are handicapped by the direction of Edgar G. Ulmer. Adaptation from the Dayton Stoddart novel, ''Prelude to Night'', is involved and confusing. Plot’s denouement is also telegraphed long before the finale. Hayward contribs a fair interpretation of Scott’s associate, who eventually breaks from him. Diana Lynn, in a dual role, is wistful and appealing as a pawn in Scott’s affections. Sydney Greenstreet, cast as a utilities magnate who’s ousted by Scott, tends to overact." In 2013, film critic Glenn Erickson gave the film a positive review, writing, "Financed as a one-shot project by an agent-turned producer, ''Ruthless'' plays its quietly subversive theme right out to the bitter end. It has excellent performances by a cast of not-quite big stars, some of them recently relieved of studio contracts. Its main player is the biggest surprise: Zachary Scott gives the performance of his career ... ''Ruthless'' is the Edgar G. Ulmer picture that shows him operating with a decent set of cinematic Tinkertoys, and he does very well indeed."Erickson, Glenn
''DVD Savant'', film and DVD review, April 22, 2013. Accessed: July 11, 2013.

References

External links

* * * {{Edgar G. Ulmer 1948 films 1948 drama films Films about adultery in the United States American business films American drama films American black-and-white films Eagle-Lion Films films Film noir Films about businesspeople Films based on American novels Films directed by Edgar G. Ulmer Films scored by Werner Janssen 1940s English-language films 1940s American films