The Insatiable

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Movie
German title The Insatiable
Original title The carpetbaggers
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1964
length 150 minutes
Rod
Director Edward Dmytryk
script John Michael Hayes
production Joseph E. Levine
music Elmer Bernstein
camera Joseph MacDonald
cut Frank Brecht
occupation
synchronization

The Insatiable is an American film adaptation based on the bestseller The Carpetbaggers by Harold Robbins . The original and the star-studded film adaptation were noted in particular for their freedom of movement, which was unusual at the time. The character of Jonas Cord is based on the biography of the legendary businessman, pilot and film producer Howard Hughes .

action

With the death of his hated father, Jonas Cord becomes one of the richest men in America and also inherits the explosives factory. Despite the prosperity, Jonas suffers a lot from the grim past of his family, in which, among other things, his twin brother died. He believes that madness runs in his family and doesn't want children of his own. Meanwhile, Jonas buys the company shares of former gunslinger Nevada Smith, who once practically raised him in the absence of his father. Rina, his father's young and attractive widow, is also paid by Jonas - for Jonas she entered into this marriage more out of an interest in his father's money than out of love. Then he drives the company of his competitor Amos Winthrop into ruin, then seduces and marries Winthrop's daughter Monica. As his wealth grows, he takes on flying as an expensive hobby.

Meanwhile, Rina and Nevada Smith have found their way to Hollywood: While Nevada mainly plays in westerns, according to producer Bernard B. Norman, Rina is to be turned into a new star. Cord then wants to buy the studio, but Norman defends himself - until the alcoholic Rina dies in a car accident. Cord's employee Dan, however, pays Norman more money than it's actually worth in the absence of his boss. After many excesses of alcohol, Cord returns to Hollywood, where he now wants to direct and produce himself. The pretty Jennie Denton is hired as a new star by Cord, and although he also has a personal relationship with her, he still treats her very badly. He also breaks ties with other friends such as longtime attorney McAllister and his flight partner Buzz. When Nevada Smith, who has always stood by Cord despite all his misconduct, learns of his bad behavior towards Jennie, he challenges Cord to a fight. Cord is defeated by Nevada, but learns that his family has never been mad. He returns ruefully to his wife Monica and their daughter.

reception

When it was released, the film was particularly criticized for its sexual permissiveness. In the 1960s, Hollywood productions became increasingly prominent in this area as the Hays Code lost its force and society as a whole became more sexually open. Bosley Crowther of the New York Times named The Carpetbaggers, along with Kiss Me, Fool, as an example of "deliberate and degenerate corruption of public taste and morality".

Despite these negative reviews, the film fetched around $ 40 million worldwide on a budget of roughly $ 3.3 million. It was the fourth highest-grossing film in America in 1964. For Alan Ladd The Insatiable was the last film, he died more than two months before the premiere on January 29, 1964. Director Dmytryk was to film another novel by Harold Robbins in 1964, namely Where Love Leads with Susan Hayward and Bette Davis .

Nevada Smith

In 1966 the Western Nevada Smith by Henry Hathaway was published , who was inspired by the figure of Nevada Smith occurring here and tells his story as a cowboy. However, Steve McQueen played the role - and not Alan Ladd, who had passed away at the time.

Awards

Elizabeth Ashley was nominated for a 1965 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress . She also received a nomination for the British Academy Film Award for Best New Actress. The production itself was honored with a Laurel Award for Best Drama.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Karen McNally: Billy Wilder, Movie Maker. McFarland, 2010, ISBN 978-0-786-48520-8 , p. 136 ( limited preview in Google book search).
  2. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057917/business?ref_=tt_dt_bus