The first half of this movie is all plot. Joan Crawford meets and falls in love with Jack Palance. The pair are very alpha. Palance has never looked more like a monster built in a lab, but he’s also very charming. About halfway in Crawford learns what we already know, Palance has a woman on the side (Gloria Grahame), and he’s planning to kill Crawford for her money. What starts off as bland and obvious quickly gets great, with everyone scheming to come out ahead (and alive). The final sequence draws out suspense like only Sergio Leone could pull off. Each small moment is dwelled on, adding to the tension. There’s hardly any dialogue at the climax, so you’re caught up in the high-contrast photography and the score by Elmer Bernstein. Everyone is at the top of their craft, earning 4 Oscar nominations for Crawford, Palance, the Costumes and Photography.
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