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:

This is adult entertainment!

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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

Average Shot Length (ASL) = 10 seconds

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Goofs

At about the 2 hour point, Rena and studio stooge, David, are talking in her house. As the camera angles change, the background set switches between a bookcase and a railing behind them while the scene remains the same.

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Quotes

Rina Marlowe Cord: I like men. Maybe I hate them. I'm not always sure.

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Connections

Referenced in What's My Line?: Carroll Baker (1964)

User Reviews

fine as a time-filler

Harold Robbins' potboiler comes to the screen, trying to be something it isn't. Main character Jonas Cord is supposedly based on Howard Hughes, but George Peppard doesn't really convince in this role. Perhaps you need more than just good looks to be a trash fiction hero. Alan Ladd, in his final role, plays Nevada Smith, older friend of Cord and washed-up movie star – the role was played by Steve McQueen in a later film – and is okay, but again, somehow not quite right. Carroll 'Baby Doll' Baker is Cord's predatory step-mother; Elizabeth Ashley, Leif Erickson, Robert Cummings, Lew Ayres, Audrey Totter and Martha Hyer also contribute.

Perhaps the problem with 'The Carpetbaggers' is that it is never in danger of progressing beyond a simmer and the film really needs more to do the novel justice. This aside, it is fairly enjoyable as a time-filler and has moments enough not to completely disappoint: it also pointed the way for the glossy US soap operas of the 1970s and 1980s.