Madame X (1966 film)

Madame X
Film poster
Directed by	David Lowell Rich
Produced by	Ross Hunter
Written by	Jean Holloway
Based on	Madame X by Alexandre Bisson
Starring	Lana Turner John Forsythe Ricardo Montalbán Burgess Meredith Constance Bennett Keir Dullea
Music by	Frank Skinner
Cinematography	Russell Metty
Edited by	Milton Carruth
Production company	Ross Hunter Productions Inc.
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	March 3, 1966 (1966-03-03) (Miami, Florida)
Running time	100 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Madame X is a 1966 American drama film directed by David Lowell Rich and starring Lana Turner. It is based on the 1908 play Madame X by French playwright Alexandre Bisson.

Plot

A lower class woman, Holly Parker (Turner), marries into the rich Anderson family with her husband Clayton (John Forsythe) having strong political aspirations. Her mother-in-law (Constance Bennett) looks down on her and keeps a watchful eye on her activities. Due to Clayton's frequent and long trips abroad, Holly forms a relationship with a well-known playboy (Ricardo Montalbán). When he accidentally dies, and only her mother-in-law knows she is innocent, the latter blackmails her into disappearing into the night during a planned boat trip, leaving her husband and son to grieve and Clayton to achieve his rise in the political world.

Holly slowly sinks into depravity all over the world, only to be brought back to America under false assumptions by a "friend" (Burgess Meredith) who plans on blackmailing her family. When she realizes that the man intends to reveal who she is to her son, she shoots him. The police arrest her and, refusing to reveal her identity, she signs a confession with the letter "X". As fate would have it, the court assigns a defense attorney who happens to be her long-lost son (Keir Dullea).

Cast

Soundtrack

The film contains an original song by Austrian composer, conductor Willy Mattes (alias Charles Wildman) titled "Love Theme from Madame X" (alternatively named "Swedish Rhapsody"). It was recorded by George Greeley on his 1957 Warner Bros album The World's Ten Greatest Popular Piano Concertos (LP).^[1]

Reception

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

• 2008: AFI's 10 Top 10:
  • Nominated Courtroom Drama Film^[2]

Home media

Madame X was released on DVD in Region 1 as a Lana Turner double feature with Portrait in Black by Universal Studios Home Entertainment on February 5, 2008.

See also

• Madame X

References

External links

• Madame X on IMDb