Ruby Gentry (1952)

Jennifer Jones is quite good as the attractive but actually pretty toxic "Ruby". She comes from the "swamp" end of town but has aspirations to join the middle-class of this North Carolina community. A nasty mishap followed by a chance meeting with the gentle and caring but ailing "Letty" (Josephine Hutchinson) sees her set her first foot on that ladder. She is to stay with the wealthy "Gentry" family and help look after her new benefactress alongside her husband "Jim" (Karl Malden). As she blossoms, she attracts the attention of most, but especially of "Boake" (Charlton Heston). He has dreams, but cannot compete with the now widowed "Jim" who decides to marry her. This is where the snobbery of their two-faced friends rears it's ugly head - feelings that only worsen when a maritime tragedy ensues pitching her against just about everyone in town, even her own hell hath no fury brother "Jewel" (James Anderson). Vengeance may be the lord's, but the now wealthy and powerful "Ruby" has a good go at exacting plenty of it for herself, even on "Boake" - but he may just be one man too many for her revenge? The three atop the bill work well together building quite a solid story that packs quite a lot into eighty minutes of largely sentiment-free drama. I didn't love the ending, but I suppose it's not predictable and was probably the only way this story of rags to rather hollow riches could realistically conclude. Worth a watch, this.