This movie is mostly just a sordid wallow, but features some good actors who at least are watchable. The turgid melodramatic plot is set in effective circus/carny atmospherics. It has some tense moments, mainly due to the dangerous stunts and to the clawing (if predictable) emotions of the lead characters.
Anne Baxter does a good job portraying a beautiful gold-digger in post-war Germany. Steve Cochran is very believable as a smarmy heel/conman/thief. You won't care about the characters, but together the lead actors manage to steam up the story enough to keep it interesting. Otherwise this movie doesn't have much to offer except for some good color filming and excellent nighttime photography.
Baxter has the usual potboiler dialog along the lines of "I'm no good for you", "I'm just rotten", etc. but she really can play this type of over-dramatics as well as any actress.
If you want to wallow for a while in a shallow, steamy potboiler for strictly entertainment purposes, this movie is for you. Enjoy it, just don't expect a classic.
Anne Baxter does a good job portraying a beautiful gold-digger in post-war Germany. Steve Cochran is very believable as a smarmy heel/conman/thief. You won't care about the characters, but together the lead actors manage to steam up the story enough to keep it interesting. Otherwise this movie doesn't have much to offer except for some good color filming and excellent nighttime photography.
Baxter has the usual potboiler dialog along the lines of "I'm no good for you", "I'm just rotten", etc. but she really can play this type of over-dramatics as well as any actress.
If you want to wallow for a while in a shallow, steamy potboiler for strictly entertainment purposes, this movie is for you. Enjoy it, just don't expect a classic.