Moviecut—Ruthless

source: Ruthless

Ruthless

This movie is initially intriguing in it's oddness. It's hard to name the genre. It's like a Horatio Alger story that becomes, um, I don't know, a boy's romance? But what might have been intriguing is exposed as just so much floundering. There is no way that cheerful, caring George Baily (Robert J Anderson) can grow up to become preening, effete villain Zachary Scott. It's just not possible. Anderson is way sympathetic. Scott is like a weird alien, who never has the audiences identification. Horace the child is not dreaming of growing up to go to black-tie balls. The first 40 minutes will intrigue fans of atypical movies, But the middle hour just sits there and dies. It's too bad the film's message ends up being the homily: "Stay home, have no ambition & lead a trite life!"

I felt like i was watching the sequel to Citizen Kane episode two, loved the movie kept me on the edge of my seat but it needed Orson Wells! I've only known Zachary Scott through westerns so to see him as a chilling uncaring person was a surprise to me that i enjoyed very much. Diana Lynn disappointed me playing a duel role as MarthaBurnside/ Mallory Flagg she shows the same personality for both characters. But great supporting role up against Zachary Scott. The movie is slow at spots but sustains its plot throughout.Sydney Greenstreet plays the villain no surprise there but would we want to see him in film in any other way think not! I give it a ten Raymond Burr gets a small scene in the beginning of the film as the father to Zachary Scott's character well acted scene though he doesn't have much of a part too short i think he should've stayed in the movie longer. Buy it, Rent it. Tape it but whatever you do get it !...

I've really appreciated Edgar G. Ulmer's works, he was totally underrated director, apart Ruthless that has a big budge, he always works on tight budge even in Detour which l'm quite sure his best picture, indeed, Ruthless has a fine treatment, the story has a non-linearity concept, about a boy who was neglected by his parents, adopted by a good family and raise very closed with their half sister who falling in love for him, his nature is ambiguous and he forgetting all the past, he climbed to upper class high society just for a unique purpose, becomes rich and get power, even left behind many damages around and his best friends, a greedy man, played by the magnificent Zachary Scott, but everything has a price to pay, he faces his destiny, an splendid Noir, Edgar G. Ulmer is best knowledge by your B Science fiction pictures, he deserves to be reviewed by the new generation of cinephiles!! Resume: First watch: 2012 / How many: 2 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8.25

That's the lesson learned too late by all the good souls who help ruthless Zachry Scott in this movie. Scott is appropriately hard and tough in the unsympathetic lead role, and Diana Lynn, Sydney Greenstreet, and Raymond Burr head up a marvelous supporting cast. Still, there's an element missing here, although I cannot put my finger on precisely what it is, that would have made this movie truly memorable instead of merely interesting.

Apparently a brief exchange between the adolescent boy (Bobby Anderson) and his father (Raymond Burr) in which the father tells him that opportunity only comes around once, is the reason why Anderson morphs into the social climbing and ruthless business tycoon played by Zachary Scott. It hardly seems like enough of an influence to change a nice kid into a prototypical (and stereotypical) greedy capitalist millionaire. Though it's difficult to establish a connection between the two, Scott makes a believable social climber, and the story has a pretty good trajectory from his adolescence through dark mansions and well furnished offices with New York skyline views, to a finale gala event where Scott is organizing a philanthropy to unload some of his millions and ease his conscience. Ulmer doles out the action in bits and pieces, but delivers a pretty memorable ending.

Excellent drama about a poor boy who is adopted by a rich family after saving their daughter from drowning. Given all the benefits of wealth and society, he uses the people who care about him and give him his breaks, especially the women he meets. Zachery Scott is chilling in his mentally perverse portrayal of a tycoon that is more in league with Norman Bates than William Randall Hurst. Diana Lynn (the Sandra Bullock of her day) is wonderful as the woman he had saved as a girl and who's heart he would break in his rise to success. There is a twist in the plot mid-way that will be a treat to Lynn fans, though I would have liked to seen more of her in the second half. The entire cast is compelling and the soundtrack is appropriately eerie. Very rare to find this on VHS or TV, so if you find it anywhere, get it, rent it, buy it, tape it, watch it.