Ruthless
Theatrical release poster
Directed byEdgar G. Ulmer
Screenplay byAlvah Bessie
S.K. Lauren
Gordon Kahn
Based onthe novel Prelude to Night
by Dayton Stoddart
Produced byArthur S. Lyons
StarringZachary Scott
Louis Hayward
Diana Lynn
Sydney Greenstreet
CinematographyBert Glennon
Edited byFrancis D. Lyon
Music byWerner Janssen
Production
company
Producing Artists
Distributed byEagle-Lion Films
Release date
  • April 16, 1948 (1948-04-16) (United States)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Ruthless is a 1948 American film noir drama film directed by Edgar G. Ulmer starring Zachary Scott, Sydney Greenstreet and Louis Hayward.[1]

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

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."[2]

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."[3]

References

  1. Ruthless at the American Film Institute Catalog.
  2. Variety, film review, 1947. Accessed: July 11, 2013.
  3. Erickson, Glenn. DVD Savant, film and DVD review, April 22, 2013. Accessed: July 11, 2013.
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