The Other Woman (1954)

It's a great de-escalation of morals all around. Terrific performances, interesting plot, lots of humor, and great fun. I don't want to ruin it for you, so please do see it if you get a chance.
The Come On (1956)

Sterling Hayden is NOT that guy.
And what the hell is wrong with Anne Baxter? She does a fairly sexy thing with her eyes and mouth, but it's not really the same as acting, is it? She's so over-the-top at all times that you keep hoping her comeuppance will come up already. In this lemon, she plays a con artist trapped in a relationship with older, meaner conman John Hoyt, who is a major control freak. Baxter meets Hayden on the beach one day while she's taking a break from the elaborate con in progress. Now, to me he just seemed like a threatening, gin-soaked tool lumbering toward her, devouring her with his rheumy eyes, and plunking himself down on her beach towel, but it seemed to work on her. The rest of the movie is about Baxter trying to escape Hoyt to be with Flabby McBigtrunks. She thinks the best way to do this is to blow up Hoyt's yacht with dynamite — you know, to make it look like an accident — but Hayden (to his credit) is aghast at the idea and nixes it.
Meanwhile, Hoyt has hired Jesse White (of all people) as a private detective to follow Baxter, which he does, and uncovers the pre-nixed dynamite plot by snapping pictures of Obviously Anne Baxter disguised in a headscarf and sunglasses carrying a package out of a warehouse with a 40 foot sign on it that says EXPLOSIVES, then another of her creeping out of a building blazing JOE'S ELECTRONICS or some such thing in neon. I kept waiting for the picture of her in front of ACME FUSE & DETONATOR, but no luck. These photos cause many problems.
Anyway, even though Baxter and Hayden have decided not to blow up Hoyt, he decides to blow up his own boat, fake his own death, and pin the blame on the two (you should pardon the expression) lovers. It doesn't work out and everybody but Sterling Hayden dies. Like I said: p.u.
I loved it.



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