Yes, this is an awfully conceived, shot, acted and presented film, truly the bottom of the barrel.
However, a lot of comments here about how bad Lake looked, and how sad and horrible this is.
Yes, she had aged due to alcohol. So did a lot of actors and actresses. And she had health issues that killed her just a few years later. But I would temper that by suggesting a viewing of the Dick Cavett interview with her a year after this film (you can see it on youtube). You might be surprised. She is apparently happy, good humored, talkative, bright and intelligent. She was once asked to accept $100,000 to marry a guy that wanted to be able to say "I was married to Veronica Lake" and she could divorce him in Reno immediately afterwards! She would not agree to that, even in writing, for her kids' sake of hearing her mom did something so foolish. She then remarked "I wish I had the offer now!" making one conclude that she didn't have a ton of money.
She looked much older in the interview than she was, due to drinking and I would also say smoking a lot. But she looked a lot better than in the movie.
One should keep in mind that Lake had the intellect to know that this was a goofy movie, she could use the money, and just went for it. She is laughing in the movie like a crazy witch, mugging the camera, intentionally looking as bad as possible. She knew exactly what she was doing, creating a monstrous character with little to work with production-wise.
Watch the Cavett interview and you will rest easier knowing that, although she had heath issues, she wasn't nearly the sad basket case that commenters here seem to believe.
However, a lot of comments here about how bad Lake looked, and how sad and horrible this is.
Yes, she had aged due to alcohol. So did a lot of actors and actresses. And she had health issues that killed her just a few years later. But I would temper that by suggesting a viewing of the Dick Cavett interview with her a year after this film (you can see it on youtube). You might be surprised. She is apparently happy, good humored, talkative, bright and intelligent. She was once asked to accept $100,000 to marry a guy that wanted to be able to say "I was married to Veronica Lake" and she could divorce him in Reno immediately afterwards! She would not agree to that, even in writing, for her kids' sake of hearing her mom did something so foolish. She then remarked "I wish I had the offer now!" making one conclude that she didn't have a ton of money.
She looked much older in the interview than she was, due to drinking and I would also say smoking a lot. But she looked a lot better than in the movie.
One should keep in mind that Lake had the intellect to know that this was a goofy movie, she could use the money, and just went for it. She is laughing in the movie like a crazy witch, mugging the camera, intentionally looking as bad as possible. She knew exactly what she was doing, creating a monstrous character with little to work with production-wise.
Watch the Cavett interview and you will rest easier knowing that, although she had heath issues, she wasn't nearly the sad basket case that commenters here seem to believe.