Wicked As They Come [Portrait in Smoke] *** (1956, Arlene Dahl, Herbert Marshall, Philip Carey) – Classic Movie Review 12,652

The 1956 British film noir Wicked As They Come [Portrait in Smoke] stars Arlene Dahl, hogging the spotlight as New York gold-digger Kathy Allen, who uses her looks as a ticket out of the slums, but finds herself charged with murder. 

‘FOR EVERY MAN WHO BETRAYED HER.. A HUNDRED MEN HAD TO PAY! ‘

Director Ken Hughes’s 1956 British film noir Wicked As They Come [Portrait in Smoke] stars Arlene Dahl, who hogs the spotlight as gold-digger Kathy Allen, the New York poor girl on the make, who uses her looks as a ticket out of the slums, but finds herself charged with murder. It is based on the 1950 novel Portrait in Smoke by Bill S Ballinger.

Philip Carey also stars as advertising man Tim O’Bannion, Herbert Marshall plays his boss Stephen Collins, Michael Goodliffe plays photographer Larry Buckham, and Ralph Truman plays the elderly John Dowling who owns the world-wide advertising agency.

Of course Fifties morality dictated that nothing good could come of an independent woman using her body to get ahead. So, after getting elderly promoter Sam Lewis (David Kossoff) to ensure that she wins the first prize of a trip to Europe in a rigged beauty contest, she falls in with advertising man Tim O’Bannion (Philip Carey), gets wealthy photographer Larry Buckham (Michael Goodliffe) to cough up all his cash, and seduces Tim’s boss Stephen Collins (Herbert Marshall).

Next she uses her womanly wicked wiles to get rich old man John Dowling (Ralph Truman) to marry her, but then anonymous mail and phone threats begin, and someone begins stalking her in the shadows. Kathy picks up a gun and shoots, accidentally killing her husband, mistaking him for a prowler. But no one believes her tale of a prowler and Kathy is tried, found guilty of murder and sentenced to die.

Dahl handles her men and her role with equal aplomb, and finds able British support from the most unlikely sources, including the venerable Sid James. The piece itself perhaps doesn’t show much flair or style, though, but overall it is really a rather enjoyable experience.

Kathy Allen: ‘Girls like me don’t usually get proposals – just propositions.’

Arlene Dahl and Fernando Lamas in 1954.

The most intriguing cast are Arlene Dahl as Kathy Allen,  Philip Carey as Tim O’Bannion, Herbert Marshall as Stephen Collins, Michael Goodliffe as Larry Buckham, Ralph Truman as John Dowling, Sid James [Sidney James] as Frank Allenborg, David Kossoff as Sam Lewis, Faith Brook as Virginia Collins, Frederick Valk as Mr Reisner, Marvin Kane as Mike Lewis, Patrick Allen as Willie, Gil Winfield [Gilbert Winfield] as Chuck, Jacques B Brunius as Inspector Caron, Alastair Hunter, Totti Truman Taylor, John Salew, Paul Sheridan, Tom Gill, and Larry Cross.

Wicked As They Come [Portrait in Smoke] is directed by Ken Hughes, runs 94 minutes, is made by Film Locations, is released by Columbia Pictures, is written by Ken Hughes, Robert Westerby and Sigmund Miller, based on the novel Portrait in Smoke by Bill S Ballinger, is shot in black and white by Basil Emmott, is produced by Maxwell Setton and M J Frankovitch, and is scored by Malcolm Arnold.

Filming started in London at Nettlefold Studios, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, on 2 December 1955 and it was released on 22 May 1956 (UK) as Wicked As They Come and on February 1957  (US) as Portrait in Smoke.

Arlene Dahl sued Columbia Pictures for $1,000,000 in New York Supreme Court in March 1957, alleging that some images used to promote the film were her face and another woman’s body and were ‘obscene, degrading and offensive.’ The case went to trial in May 1957 but it was dismissed in August 1957.

Arlene Carol Dahl (August 11, 1925 – November 29, 2021). Dahl had six husbands, including actors Lex Barker and Fernando Lamas. After giving birth to Lorenzo Lamas, Dahl slowed her career as an actress.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,652

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