Ruthless **** (1948, Zachary Scott, Louis Hayward, Diana Lynn, Sydney Greenstreet, Lucille Bremer, Martha Vickers) – Classic Movie Review 8233

Director Edgar G Ulmer’s 1948 flashbacks driven film noir Ruthless stars Zachary Scott as Ruthless, charismatic financier Horace Woodruff Vendig, who stops at nothing to get to the head of the heap. But he reckons without American Deep South magnate Buck Mansfield, played by Sydney Greenstreet, who steals the show.

Cult director Ulmer encourages his colourful cast, bringing out the best in Scott, Greenstreet, Diana Lynn, Lucille Bremer, Louis Hayward and Raymond Burr especially, and whips up an intriguing melodrama that is always involving and entertaining.

The screenplay by S K Lauren and Gordon Kahn is based on Dayton Stoddart’s novel Prelude to Night.

Also in the cast are Martha Vickers, Dennis Hoey, Edith Barrett, Joyce Arling, Charles Evans, Bob Anderson [Robert ‘Bobby’ J Anderson ], Arthur Stone, Ann Carter, Edna Holland and Frederick Worlock.

The running time is 104 minutes but the Terra Distributors VHS version is cut to only 86 minutes.

Ruthless is directed by Edgar G Ulmer, runs 104 minutes, is made by Producing Artists, is distributed by Eagle-Lion Films, is written by S K Lauren and Gordon Kahn, based on Dayton Stoddart’s novel Prelude to Night, is shot in black and white by Bert Glennon, is produced by Arthur S Lyons and is scored by Werner Janssen.

Ulmer (1904-72) is best remembered for the 1945 film noir Detour, but he is also known for The Black Cat (1934), The Light Ahead (1939), Isle of Forgotten Sins (1943) and The Man from Planet X (1951).

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8233

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