The Carpetbaggers (1964)

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

Director:

Edward Dmytryk

Writers:

Harold Robbins (novel), John Michael Hayes (screenplay)

Stars:

George Peppard, Alan Ladd, Carroll Baker

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Peppard	...	Jonas Cord
Alan Ladd	...	Nevada Smith
Carroll Baker	...	Rina Marlowe Cord
Robert Cummings	...	Dan Pierce (as Bob Cummings)
Martha Hyer	...	Jennie Denton
Elizabeth Ashley	...	Monica Winthrop
Lew Ayres	...	'Mac' McAllister
Martin Balsam	...	Bernard B. Norman
Ralph Taeger	...	Buzz Dalton
Archie Moore	...	Jedediah
Leif Erickson	...	Jonas Cord Sr.
Arthur Franz	...	Morrissey
Tom Tully	...	Amos Winthrop
Audrey Totter	...	Prostitute
Anthony Warde	...	Moroni

Storyline

George Peppard plays a hard-driven industrialist more than a little reminiscent of Howard Hughes. While he builds airplanes, directs movies and breaks hearts, his friends and lovers try to reach his human side, and find that it's an uphill battle. The film's title is a metaphor for self-promoting tycoons who perform quick financial takeovers, impose dictatorial controls for short-term profits, then move on to greener pastures.

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Plot Keywords:

tycoon | hollywood | movie producer | showbiz | based on novel | 

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Taglines:

It is unlikely that you will experience in a lifetime all that you will see in... THE CARPETBAGGERS.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 October 1964 (UK)

Also Known As:

Die Unersättlichen

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$28,409,547

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$40,000,000, 31 January 1977

Company Credits

Production Co:

Embassy Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min

Sound Mix:

3 Channel Stereo (Westrex Recording System) (5.0) (L-R)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Carroll Baker's character was believed to be inspired by Jean Harlow in Harold Robbins' original novel. Ironically, Baker would play Harlow herself in a biopic of the ill-fated actress the following year.

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Goofs

As Dan and Rina Marlowe drive from the train station, circa 1927, there are a couple of 1940s cars parked in driveways in the background.

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Quotes

Jonas Cord: What do you want to see on your honeymoon?
Monica Winthrop: Lots of lovely ceilings!

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Connections

Referenced in What's My Line?: Gina Lollobrigida (1964)

User Reviews

RARE FACTS - Good Film/Disapointing DVD

Back in 1963 I had the rare pleasure to attend a "sneak prevue" of CARPETBAGGERS at the Chicago Theatre long before its regular release. (In THOSE days a sneak REALLY was just that! No name of picture announced in advance!) This was the completed work print with splices at every scene (though fades and dissolves WERE included). Marks were at the beginning of every shot to sync sound & picture, and the sound track was run in sync from 35mm mag. Several differences occured in final release prints. The version I saw: Then George Peppard comes to the house after his dad has died and goes up to Caroll Bakers bedroom, when he walks into her dressing area, the scene cuts to Carrol sitting at a chair in front of a mirror, with nothing on. In the Release Prints, the shots holds on the master scene of the bedroom and we only hear them talk till they come back out, Carroll finishing putting on robe. Irronically, a number of film magazines of the day actually printed a shot of Carroll suggestively in the chair (though more was shown on film) in full color. When Carroll is dancing on the chandellear in Paris, there was a clear shot of her nude on top, angain not in Release Prints. I believe there was one more altered scene, but this was a LONG time ago! However, the ending that is now on DVD (and was seen a number of years ago when AMC aired it widescreen) IS the version shown at the sneak. But... it seemed SO abrupt with that "THE END" title coming up so fast and the quick fade out, that with the Release Prints the scene was frozen and a voice-over (like the one at the beginning) extended it out a bit and helped remove the abrupt ending. So what happened to that ending??? Also, while the DVD looks quite good (consistant with the IB Technicolor release prints), there are NO extras. Not even the well done teaser or regular trailers (of which the regular trailer even appeared on AMC years ago). By the way, I have always enjoyed the movie a great deal. Good Holloywood sleeze stuff wraped up in bright Technicolr packaging.