Ralph Taeger

Harold Robbins' tale of the ruthless men and beautiful women who shaped Hollywood. Harold Robbins' best seller about '30s Hollywood comes to the screen in a torrent of frank, controversial and (for the times) sensational scenes that helped break the Production Code. George Peppard is the ruthless tycoon who (with amazing parallels to Howard Hughes) builds a multi-million-dollar empire. Carroll Baker, who performs a razzle-dazzle striptease atop a glittering chandelier, is the Jean Harlow-type star. In addition to its depiction of the wild life in Tinseltown's early days, the film also boasts Alan Ladd's terrific final screen performance as the hero's sidekick, Nevada Smith.

Sheriff Horne (Barry Sullivan) is given one final mission before he hangs up his hat: rounding up two bank robber brothers whose father (Keenan Wynn) took him in as a child. One brother dies in the scuffle, and the other (Ralph Taeger) warns that his father will exact revenge. As Horne waits at the train depot, preparing for a showdown, he learns that an old flame (Marilyn Maxwell) will soon be riding into town.

Jonas Cord is a disagreeable rich young tycoon on the corporate make, with some subplots about booze, broads and Hollywood in the 1930's.

Jonas Cord is a disagreeable rich young tycoon on the corporate make, with some subplots about booze, broads and Hollywood in the 1930's.