Ruby Gentry

Rating:
Summary: HOT TEMPERED, FULL BLOODED ROMANCE ON THE BACKROADS
Review: "Ruby Gentry" is one of a string of intense and fiery melodramas that remind me so well of the proliferation of night time soap operas that blossomed during the 1980s. This film stars Jennifer Jones at her sultry best as Ruby, a no-account white trash raised in the rugged swamplands. The flame of her dishonorable intentions is turned up at the first sight of rich and bo-hunky, Boake Tackman (Chalton Heston). Boake allows Ruby to get close to him but he never once considers their youthful dalliances anything more than slumming. When Boake enters into a marriage proposal with Tracy McAuliffe (Phyllis Avery), done more for community property than grand amour, Ruby dives head first into a love-less marriage of her own to Jim Gentry (Carl Malden). Jim's financial success allows Ruby to gussy herself into respectability which is short lived after a boating accident claims Jim's life. Ruby's lack of mourning arouses suspicion from the local town folk. More than a few eyebrows get raised when Ruby makes another passionate pitch for Boake's affections not long thereafter. Rejected by Boake once more - this time for her reputation rather than lack of money - Ruby's passion ignites into bitter sadism. She purposefully destroys Boake's farm. There is more to this sordid tale, but I'll stop short of giving away all the trade secrets.

MGM's DVD is rather impressive. The B&W picture exhibits a very nicely balanced gray scale with smooth, solid blacks and very clean whites. Age related artifacts are present throughout but do not distract. Some minor edge enhancement crops up but pixelization is kept to a minimum. Overall the picture will surely not disappoint. The audio is mono but more than adequate for a film of this vintage. There are no extras.


Rating:
Summary: Passion and revenge in a small town
Review: Charlton Heston may be featured prominently on the dvd cover but the real star of this passionate melodrama is Jennifer Jones. In one of her best roles, she plays the title role, a sultry North Carolina backwoods girl from the wrong side of the tracks. She's in love with Boake Tackman (Heston), a blueblood land developer who betrays her by marrying a wealthy girl that his family approves. Ruby vows revenge on him and the townspeople by marrying a wealthy doctor (Karl Malden) and gaining entry into the high society that shunned her.

This taut and stark little drama, directed by the great King Vidor, was a box office hit in 1952 and helped revive Jennifer Jones' career, who had suffered a previous string of flops. The title tune, a mournful ballad played on a harmonica, was also a big hit. The film features fine performances all around - in addition to the leads, there is good support from Karl Malden and Josephine Hutchinson. The rich black and white photography (by Russell Harlan) is excellently rendered on this dvd. Unfortunatley, there are no extra features.

Rating:
Summary: RUBY - A FLAWED GEM
Review: Jennifer Jones certainly did not get type cast in her screen roles.As a complete contrast to her normal saintly image (Duel in the Sun excepted) she plays Ruby Gentry,a Sth.Carolina girl from the wrong side of the tracks who gets emotionally involved with Boake Tackman (Chalton Heston) her sometime aristocratic boyfriend who is promised (more as a property contract) to Tracy who comes from another good Sth.Carolina family.Ruby has a religous zealot brother who constantly harps on about "doom and gloom" if his sister carry's on her liaison with Boake.When Ruby realises she will not become Mrs Tackman she agrees to marry Jim Gentry -a working class local boy made good, played by Karl Malden, (funny how he always looks the same age in all his films no matter when they were filmed!).After a boating accident Jim dies and Ruby "cops the lot" arousing suspicion in the local town folk who knew Jim Gentry.There is nothing more scary than a woman scorned and when Boke rejects Ruby's last offer of money for marriage, she goes ballistic and purposely ruins his carefully cultivated fields he has reclaimed at great expense from nature but I will not divulge the ending.The poor old doctor does not press his suite enough but Ruby does not fancy him anyway.
An interesting new role for JJ who certainly looks "the biz" in her tight fitting jeans!

Rating:
Summary: Terrific tale of love, passion and revenge!
Review: The melodrama formula is perfect in this film. King Vidor, one of the most talented directors of the Hollywood great times, give us a stunning fable of desire. Jennifer Jones is amazing as Ruby... as young Charlton Heston. Some people of today can't understand why a movie like this could be a masterpiece. They want reality on the screen and "Ruby Gentry" is a surrealistic story of love. Like "Peter Ibbetson" or "Portrait of Jeannie" or, most recently, "Birth".

Rating:
Summary: Ruby Gentry Depressing
Review: This video is typical of many videos filmed in the 50's. Melodramatic to the core. Jennifer Jones as Ruby was not pretty enough to be so desirable; the doctor's role wasn't developed enough, and there were never any bright spots. Ruby lacked wisdom and depth of character. Charleton Heston was pretty shallow, also. I thought the entire plot totally rediculous. I resented the presentation of God and Christianity in the character of Ruby's brother.