The Carpetbaggers (film)

The Carpetbaggers is a 1964 American drama film directed by Edward Dmytryk, based on the best-selling 1961 novel The Carpetbaggers by Harold Robbins. It stars George Peppard as Jonas Cord, a character based loosely on Howard Hughes, and Alan Ladd in his last role as Nevada Smith, a former western gunslinger turned actor. Carroll Baker, Martha Hyer, Bob Cummings, and Elizabeth Ashley also star.

The Carpetbaggers
U.S. poster art
Directed byEdward Dmytryk
Produced byJoseph E. Levine
Screenplay byJohn Michael Hayes
Based onThe Carpetbaggers
by Harold Robbins
Starring
Music byElmer Bernstein
CinematographyJoseph MacDonald
Edited byFrank Bracht
Production
company
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • April 9, 1964 (1964-04-09)
Running time
150 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$3.3 million[1][2]
Box office$40 million[2]

The film is a landmark of the sexual revolution of the 1960s, venturing further than most films of the period with its heated sexual embraces, innuendo, and sadism between men and women, much like the novel, where "there is sex and/or sadism every 17 pages".[3]

Filmed in 35mm Panavision, this was one of the first movies to be blown up to 70mm ("Panavision 70") for premiere screening. The Carpetbaggers was released in April 1964. Two years after this film, Steve McQueen played Ladd's character in a Western prequel titled Nevada Smith.

Plot

Opening narration

Every generation has its modern carpetbaggers, its adventurers who gamble everything to stand head and shoulders above other men. Among them could be a creative giant, a do-gooder, a tyrant or a plunderer — a man who leaves his personal brand on everything and everyone he touches. I guess in the past generation it could have been someone like the fictional and fabulous Jonas Cord Junior — the best or the worst — depending on how much you imagined he might have hurt you... or how much you believed he helped you. The legend of Jonas spanned almost two decades and it began that April morning in the nineteen twenties... in the sky over the Nevada desert."

Jonas Cord's father dies

Jonas Cord Jr. becomes one of America's richest men in the early twentieth century, inheriting an explosives company from his late father. Jonas resents his alcoholic father bitterly and is psychologically scarred from the death of an insane twin brother. Afraid that his brother's insanity is carried in the bloodline, Jonas avoids romantic commitments and doesn't want children of his own. He hates for anyone to call him "Junior" – or especially to call him "crazy" – with his reckless ways and wild money-making schemes.

Jonas buys up all the company stock including some held by Nevada Smith, a former western gunslinger. Once a wanted man named Max Sand, Nevada reformed and changed his name. In his new identity, Nevada had practically raised Jonas in the absence of his father. However, Jonas always investigates his associates and has uncovered the truth about Nevada's past. Jonas Cord Jr. also pays off his father's young widow, Rina Marlowe, a shapely blonde. She was his first girlfriend, much adored, in his naive youth. When he introduced her to his father, the elder Cord had promptly seduced and married her. Bitter and vengeful, Jonas carries on with his stepmother behind his father's back, in an ongoing love/hate relationship. He despises her for marrying his father strictly for money. Rina is portrayed as a sexually assertive gold-digger and expert manipulator of men, but she can't get the best of Jonas. Rina takes the money and moves to Paris, partying her way through the Roaring Twenties, ending up penniless but still beautiful.

Jonas becomes a ruthless multimillionaire

Jonas becomes an aviation pioneer and his wealth grows. Flying across the country, always busy with new deals and schemes, he lives in hotel suites, with no permanent home, even though he now owns his father's house. A hard drinker and womanizer, Jonas makes no time for leisurely enjoyment of his wealth. Avoiding true friendship, he looks for the inside angle, using people to make money no matter how it hurts them. Jonas soon destroys a business rival named Winthrop, then seduces and marries the man's daughter Monica. Vivacious and unconventional at first, Monica seems to enjoy Cord's free-wheeling lifestyle. However, after many exhausting business trips ("air sickness instead of morning sickness"), Monica wants to settle down and have a home and children. Dismayed, Jonas cruelly abandons her, pushing her to divorce him. He offers no explanation except that he thought she wanted that hectic, loveless life. Monica hangs on for years, aware of Cord's troubled youth, hoping he'll come back to her. Finally Jonas arranges a nasty set-up to force the divorce. He invites Monica to his hotel room and she arrives eagerly, expecting a reconciliation. Instead, through the door deliberately left open, she sees Jonas kissing Rina, his sexy stepmother, in a way that leaves no doubt of their relationship. Crushed, Monica gives Jonas his divorce, then discovers she's pregnant with his child. After the birth, Jonas visits her, demanding to know if he's the father. Monica tells him to leave her and their newborn daughter alone. Years pass with no contact between them.

Nevada Smith becomes a star in westerns

Meanwhile, Nevada Smith finds work in western films becoming a popular cowboy hero. Rina resurfaces, pursuing Nevada, who now has fame and money. She persuades Jonas to finance Nevada's project, a script about his former outlaw life, in which he will star. This gives Jonas an interest in the Bernard Norman company, the second-rate studio that produces Nevada's films, plus creative control over the resulting movie. Norman and Jonas argue then get into a fist-fight over casting; the female lead is Norman's inept girlfriend. Jonas demands that Rina get the role; she's a natural actress and perfect for the part. Jonas even hires Dan Pierce, Nevada's agent, to work for him in public relations. Dan will re-work the script and expand Rina's role, while diminishing Nevada's part. Furious, Bernard Norman vows revenge for humiliation suffered, but Rina becomes a big star, the main asset of his company. She continues to drink and party; her career blossoms while Nevada's declines. To spite Jonas, Rina marries Nevada, now considered a has-been. Jonas offers several times to buy the film company, but Bernard Norman, still angry, refuses. Then Dan Pierce, although he works for Jonas, approaches Norman as studio head with bad news. Rina, drinking while driving, has crashed her car and died. Norman sees his chance for revenge. He offers Dan a sweet deal to keep Rina's death secret and arrange the immediate sale of the studio. Dan betrays his employer Jonas, sets up the sale, and Jonas pays Norman much more than the studio is worth absent its chief box-office draw. Realizing Dan's betrayal, Jonas beats him up and heads out.

Jonas replaces Rina with Jennie Denton

Jonas goes on an alcoholic binge and disappears. Finally, he dries out. Upon his return, he decides he can run the studio, even directing films. Before their falling out, Dan had set up a screen test for his favorite call girl, Jennie Denton, an attractive blonde who resembles Rina. Jonas sees the possibilities and Jennie becomes the studio's new sex symbol and star. She also becomes his mistress. World War II is creating a huge demand for war planes and Jonas buys another aviation plant. He calls Monica to help him find and re-hire her father, to run the new facility. Monica takes that as a hopeful sign and comes unannounced to Jonas' hotel room, bringing their lovely daughter (who is unaware that Jonas is her father). Ironically, Monica walks into a replay of the set-up from years back. Just as Jonas seems happy to see her, eager to get to know his child, Jennie steps out of the bedroom, clearly nude except for a white mink coat. This debacle is truly an accident, but Monica walks out, hurt and disgusted. Jonas is too proud to go after her and too tough to show any feelings. Instead he coldly demands that Jennie demonstrate how much she likes her new coat and they have sex. Having lost any chance with Monica, Jonas begins to groom Jennie for marriage. She accepts his proposal, believing they're in love. Her career continues to flourish (a glamour photo of her is shown on the cover of the October 18, 1940 issue of the fictional magazine Comment), but she is in for a rude awakening.

Jonas cuts his ties with old associates, his aviation partner Buzz and his longtime lawyer Mac. Both have grown tired of his bullying and using them. They're glad to go. Mac tells Jonas he's playing a role, playing so well he doesn't know what's real. He's become just like his father, cruelly cold and alcoholic. Look in the mirror. "Goodbye, Junior." Jonas throws his shot glass and breaks the mirror, still denying what others know is true.

With news of Jonas' engagement, Dan Pierce tries to blackmail Jennie. Armed with a copy of a porno film she made in her youth, Dan threatens to reveal her shady past to Jonas and the world if she doesn't pay up. Upset and in tears, Jennie goes to Jonas to confess, breaking their engagement to spare him. She tells him, "I don't want you to get hurt. I love you!" Jonas just laughs. He's had her investigated (as he always does) so he knows all about her past. He brags that he made her a star, made her eligible to marry him. Why? So he can have her services conveniently available, all to himself. So what if she's been had all over town? People won't dare to disparage the wife of the rich and powerful Jonas Cord; do that and he'll destroy them. With her dream of loving shattered, Jennie runs out devastated. Jonas of course lets her go, seemingly unfazed.

Jonas has a fist-fight with Nevada and returns to Monica

Seeing the wreckage of both their lives, Nevada Smith confronts Jonas with fighting words, ending by saying "You're crazy." That's all it takes; Jonas socks him and commences a vicious fist-fight, a huge knockdown brawl. Both get in solid punches, falling over and breaking the furniture. At last they lie there, bruised and bloody. Then Nevada stands up and really lets Jonas have it. Nevada says Jonas is full of hatred and fear, hatred for his cruel father and fear of becoming insane like his long lost twin brother. He takes out his anger on anyone who cares about him. He's destroying everything that really matters. Monica truly loved him. They have a beautiful healthy daughter which proves there's no hereditary insanity lurking in his future. Jonas breaks down, crying because he never even got to speak to his brother, who was locked away when they were infants. He kept rushing to accomplish all he could, fearing insanity might overtake him any moment. Jonas sees how empty his hectic life is, how he's thrown away happiness and replaced it with money and power. He's made plenty of enemies, but no real friends except for Nevada who stuck by him even when Jonas sabotaged his career.

A contrite Jonas returns to Monica asking her to listen. He has sold all the businesses that kept them apart. He bought a house and wants to make it a home. All he needs is another chance and he'll try to earn her trust. He admits he lied to her so long because he loved her then and he loves her now. Sweet Monica, now strong without him, has always loved him. Of course, she forgives him and they embrace. Their daughter will grow up as a healthy, normal girl (as much as is possible given the past).

Cast

Production

John Michael Hayes signed to write the script in June 1962.[4] (Soon after, Embassy signed him to adapt Where Love Has Gone.[5])

Sonny Tufts was a candidate for Nevada Smith.[6] He lost out to Alan Ladd. When Alan Ladd signed to play Nevada Smith, it was also announced that Paramount and Joseph E. Levine would make a prequel about Smith's adventures called Nevada Smith.[7]

Joan Collins, in her autobiography Past Imperfect (1978), says she had a firm offer to play Rina Marlowe but had to decline because of pregnancy.

Robert Cummings was cast as an agent. His wife said "years ago Alfred Hitchcock told him he'd made a great villain with that baby face. It's a wonderful change of pace."[8]

Filming started on June 4, 1963.[9] Carroll Baker had a highly publicized nude scene, shot on a closed set.[10]

Release and reception
Screenshot from trailer for The Carpetbaggers (1964)

Alan Ladd died before the film was released.[11]

The Carpetbaggers premiered in Denver, Colorado on April 9, 1964,[12] and went on to be a large commercial success. It grossed $28,409,547 at the domestic box office,[13] making it the 4th highest-grossing film of 1964. Variety reported that the film earned $13 million in domestic rentals. At the worldwide box office, the film grossed $40,000,000 against a $3 million budget.[2] Due to its success, a prequel was filmed and released two years later. Ladd's part was taken by Steve McQueen.

Bosley Crowther of The New York Times panned the film as "a sickly sour distillation of Harold Robbins's big-selling novel", with the protagonist "a thoroughly mechanical movie puppet, controlled by a script-writer's strings", and Peppard's performance "expressionless, murky and dull."[14] Variety wrote, "Psychological facets of the story are fuzzy, and vital motivational information is withheld to the point where it no longer really seems to matter why he is the miserable critter he is. His sudden reform is little more than an unconvincing afterthought. There's nobody to root for in 'The Carpetbaggers.' And Hayes' screenplay never seems to miss an opportunity to slip in connotations of sex, whether or not they are necessary."[15] Philip K. Scheuer of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the film "is trash, but it has the curiosity pull of a trashy novel. One sits there squirming in the captive presence of its unremitting boldness and bad taste for two-and-a-half hours (it ends again and again and starts up again and again), waiting only for its central figure, Jonas Cord Jr., to be cornered and stomped on like the rat he is. But then we find him, hat in hand, seeking forgiveness and reconciliation from a wronged ex-wife. More—he gets them."[16] Richard L. Coe of The Washington Post described the film as "wild, fruity nonsense" and observed, "At all events, Robbins and Hayes have it beautifully tied up psychologically and all I can say is that I'm glad I never had an insane twin."[17] The film became one of the targets for the negative impact of films on society. Crowther cited the film, along with Kiss Me, Stupid, for giving American movies the reputation of "deliberate and degenerate corruptors of public taste and morals".[18]

The movie was one of the 13 most popular films in the UK in 1965.[19] However, many critics frowned upon the film, considering it to be "vulgar and tasteless" or "an upscale dirty movie".[18][20] The Monthly Film Bulletin stated, "They don't make movies like this any more—or at least, like The Carpetbaggers should have been. Dmytryk does a very clean, efficient job of direction, interweaving the various strands of his complicated story with exemplary clarity, but somehow there is an element missing: the film is big, bold, sprawlingly epic and all that, but it never manages to carry off its outrageous silliness with any of the flourish of the good old days."[21] Mad magazine lampooned the film in issue #92 with The Carpetsweepers.[22]

The theme tune by Elmer Bernstein was recorded in a version by Jimmy Smith arranged by Lalo Schiffrin. This version was used to accompany the titles and credits for the UK BBC 2 The Money Programme, a finance and current affairs television magazine program.

Soundtrack

Elmer Bernstein re-recorded his music for the movie as an album on Ava Records. In 2013 Intrada Records issued the complete original soundtrack on CD, pairing it with the CD premiere of the Ava re-recording (tracks 22-31).

  1. Seal / Main Title 2:26
  2. A Maverick 0:52
  3. Rina's Record 3:32
  4. The Forbidden Room 2:42
  5. Sierra Source (Alternate) 1:41
  6. Sierra Source 2:39
  7. Separate Trails 2:03
  8. Monica's Shimmy 0:31
  9. Lots of Lovely Ceilings 2:02
  10. Nevada's Trouble 7:12
  11. Get a Divorce 1:35
  12. Movie Mogul 0:35
  13. Two of a Kind 5:11
  14. Sierra Source Pt. 2 2:14
  15. Rina's Dead 1:02
  16. Speak of the Devil 1:29
  17. New Star 3:05
  18. Bad Bargain 0:51
  19. Jonas Hits Bottom 5:40
  20. Finale 1:26
  21. Love Theme from The Carpetbaggers 3:10
  22. The Carpetbaggers 2:31
  23. Love Theme from The Carpetbaggers 2:40
  24. Speak of the Devil 2:01
  25. Forbidden Room 2:19
  26. The Carpetbagger Blues 3:52
  27. Main Title from The Carpetbaggers 2:10
  28. New Star 2:16
  29. The Producer Asks for a Divorce 2:39
  30. Jonas Hits Bottom 2:50
  31. Finale 1:44

Legacy
  • Nevada Smith (1966) was conceived as a prequel to The Carpetbaggers. Steve McQueen was chosen for the role of Smith as a much younger man named Max Sand who makes up the name Nevada Smith when he infiltrates the gang of a man he intends to kill.
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See also

Notes
  1. Baker's character was believed inspired by Jean Harlow, who had appeared in Hughes' film epic Hell's Angels.

References
  1. "The fruitful labours of Levine". Sunday Times. London, England. 11 Oct 1964. p. 29 – via The Sunday Times Digital Archive.
  2. Box Office Information for The Carpetbaggers. IMDb via Internet Archive. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  3. Sova, Dawn B. (1 January 2006). Literature Suppressed on Sexual Grounds. Infobase Publishing. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-8160-7149-4.
  4. Thompson, Howard (June 30, 1962). "Columbia Pictures Will Endow Circle in Square Acting Grants". New York Times. p. 11. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  5. Weiler, A.H. (November 30, 1962). "Miss Taylor and Richard Burton Are Sought for Roles in 'V.I.P.'s'". New York Times. p. 25. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  6. Hopper, Hedda (Mar 27, 1963). "Diane Baker Is Seeking Role in 'Lilith' Movie". Chicago Tribune. p. b2.
  7. Weiler, A.H. (May 27, 1963). "'Carpetbaggers' Signs Alan Ladd: Actor to Play Nevada Smith In Film Version of Novel". New York Times. p. 25. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  8. Hopper, Hedda (July 23, 1963). "Looking at Hollywood: Bob Cummings Plays Baby-Faced Villain". Chicago Tribune. p. a1.
  9. "Filmland Events: Alan Ladd Definite for 'Carpetbaggers'". Los Angeles Times. May 3, 1963. p. C10.
  10. Morehouse, Ward (Aug 25, 1963). "Carroll Baker Explains Mood to Do Movie Scene in the Nude". Los Angeles Times. p. e6.
  11. "Alan Ladd, Actor, Dies at 50; Appeared-in 150 Movie Roles: Became Famous for Part of Killer in 'This Gun for Hire' – Was Hero of 'Shane'". New York Times. January 30, 1964. p. 29. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  12. "The Carpetbaggers – Details". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  13. Box Office Information for The Carpetbaggers. The Numbers. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  14. Crowther, Bosley (July 2, 1964). "Screen: 'The Carpetbaggers' Opens". The New York Times. 24.
  15. "Film Reviews: The Carpetbaggers". Variety. April 15, 1964. 6.
  16. Scheuer, Philip K. (June 5, 1964). "'Carpetbaggers' in Bad Taste as Film". Los Angeles Times. Part IV, p. 13.
  17. Coe, Richard L. (June 13, 1964). "Carpetbaggers Safe on Base". The Washington Post. C34.
  18. McNally, Karen (16 December 2010). Billy Wilder, Movie-Maker: Critical Essays on the Films. McFarland. p. 136. ISBN 978-0-7864-8520-8.
  19. "Most Popular Film Star". The Times. London. 31 December 1965. p. 13 – via The Times Digital Archive.
  20. Pfeiffer, Lee; Worrall, Dave (29 November 2011). Cinema Sex Sirens. Omnibus Press. p. 74. ISBN 978-0-85712-725-9.
  21. "The Carpetbaggers". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 31 (370): 159. November 1964.
  22. "Mad #92 January 1965". Doug Gilford's Mad Cover Site.
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