Hedy Lamarr lacks the proper acting chops to really convince in this psychological study of a troubled magazine artist. She goes through a plethora of emotions, becoming both kind and cruel and seemingly at her happiest when she's living in squalor as opposed to the misery of a life in high society surrounded by pretentious phonies including one wealthy client who seems intent on possessing her. This threatens her new romance with a struggling scientist. At her best when she is easy-going, Lamarr seems forced and unnatural when emoting. As the men in her life, Morris Carnovsky is statically noble as the shrink, John Loder sleazy and one-dimensional as the skunk and Dennis O'Keefe spunky as the sap.
The supporting cast includes wonderful moments from Natalie Schaefer as Lamarr's trouble-making friend, Margaret Hamilton as her nosy landlady and Douglas Dumbrille as the tough prosecuting attorney when evidence points to Lamarr in a murder. It is here where the film tries to rise above its melodramatic nature to turn into something profound, a noble attempt that fails. An independent release written for its beautiful but stiff leading lady, it never amounts to much in spite of the surrounding talents.
The supporting cast includes wonderful moments from Natalie Schaefer as Lamarr's trouble-making friend, Margaret Hamilton as her nosy landlady and Douglas Dumbrille as the tough prosecuting attorney when evidence points to Lamarr in a murder. It is here where the film tries to rise above its melodramatic nature to turn into something profound, a noble attempt that fails. An independent release written for its beautiful but stiff leading lady, it never amounts to much in spite of the surrounding talents.