Review of Ruby Gentry (1952) by Allan C — 21 Feb 2012

Conceptually this movie was awesome, a good story about a struggle of a woman from the wrong side of the tracks for acceptance in "polite society" and with a satisfying conclusion. Unfortunately, where this film failed was the overtly hammy acting from the principal cast.

I loved Jennifer Jones in "Love is a Many-Splendor Thing" and Charlton Heston (from all his religious flicks plus well, he's Charlton Heston. Do you really need any reason other than that?).

It was a treat watching him in this because he was so young and I didn't recognize him at first but that velvet voice is undeniable.....but the acting damn. Maybe it was because of the era, when every little emotional response has to be so darn theatrical, but it just made it so comical sometimes, it was really distracting.

Otherwise, this would have been really, really cool.