She may have excelled in many high profile Hollywood classics, too numerous to mention, but this (her last major film role) was Lana Turner's finest hour. One of the best movie melodramas ever made, this David Lowell Rich masterpiece from 1966 contains all the ingredients to hold the viewer's attention from beginning to end. While always competent,Turner like many screen beauties was often used for more decorative purposes by Directors dazzled by her obvious sex appeal. In this Role,Lana Turner proves that she was more than mere adornment and in fact was one of the best screen actresses of all time. Her performance veers from trophy wife to temptress, femme fatale through to wronged woman and Turner is magnificent throughout. Perhaps sensing that in her forties she would be unlikely to get another meaty leading role, Turner literally gives her all in the part of Holly Anderson. Her beauty for once merely compliments the role for which she is required to appear in the second half of the movie as a haggard, depressed drug addicted victim. The film brilliantly utilizes all possible directorial techniques to extract every semblance of emotion from both actress and viewer. Like Turner's most successful movie, Douglas Sirk's 1959 masterpiece, 'Imitation of Life' and Michael Gordon's 'Portrait in Black' co-starring a young and menacing Anthony Quinn (which it has been paired with on DVD release) this film is a masterpiece of melodrama. Lana Turner's performance cements her legendary status and is among those great screen performances where a best actress Oscar was merited. As Hollywood swan-songs go, this must rank as one of the best farewell performances ever by a major movie star.WARNING: Kleenex mandatory for female and yes even male viewers.
