Madame X (1966)

Madame X
Directed by David Lowell Rich
Written by Jean Holloway from a play by Alexandre Brisson
1966/USA
Ross Hunter Productions/Universal Pictures/Eltee
First viewing/Amazon Instant

[on the headlines about the Stamponato case] I read everything, then reread it, attempting to analyze the whole awful happening. And after I had done that I felt totally drained. The press had done their worst, and now I knew exactly what that worst was. And I’d have to survive it. – Lana Turner

This hoary melodrama about infidelity, exile, alcoholism, and mother love has been remade many times. The 1966 version is the most over-the-top of them all.  That is not necessarily a bad thing.

The story begins as fabulously wealthy Clay Anderson (John Forsythe) brings his new bride Holly (Lana Turner) home to the palatial family manse.  She is introduced to her mother-in-law Estelle (Constance Bennett). Estelle puts on her best manners but it is clear she looks down on her daughter-in-law.  Clay has political ambitions and is making a lot of high profile trips that take him away from his family. During the last protracted absence, Holly, in her loneliness, starts a brief affair with Phil Benton (Ricarcdo Montalban).  When her husband returns, she calls the affair quits.  But poor Holly is left holding the bag when Phil accidentally dies during the couple’s farewell scene.

This causes Estelle to convince Holly that the best thing for her husband and son is to fake a sudden disappearance/death. Holly’s situation goes from bad to worse as her alcoholism escalates during her long wanderings through Europe and later Mexico.  In Mexico things get even more interesting when reprobate Dan Sullivan (Burgess Meredith) manages to drag Holly’s secret from her while she is in a drunken stupor.  By this time, Clay has been elected Governor, sonny boy has graduated from law school, and Dan has blackmail on the brain.  With Keir Dullea as the grown-up son.

Phil Benton:  Never end on a dangling insult!
Holly: Please, let me go!
Phil: IF you promise not to leave!

Something told me that I should watch this movie.  I was so right.  Dialogue like the above raises the film from merely stupid to one hell of a fun run. It is a throw-back to melodramas of the 50’s with an update to include some of the new freedoms of the 60’s. If you like high camp (and I do) and want to look at the most glamorous settings and costumes since the Golden Age, I would say go for it.

This was Bennett’s last film in an acting career that began in 1916.