Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Frances Chung Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Lee Eisenberg "The Carpetbaggers" was seen as an adults-only movie upon its initial release (no doubt due to Carroll Baker's flamboyant outfits) but looks pretty tame by today's standards. A thinly-veiled account of Howard Hughes, the movie is actually a little better than you might expect it to be, despite the corny ending. George Peppard plays a ruthless chemical tycoon who insists on making a name for himself in cinema in the '20s and '30s.I understand that Carroll Baker's character is based on Jean Harlow. Interestingly enough, Baker played Harlow in a movie the following year. Like this movie, "Harlow" has had a reputation as being somewhat trashy (but I actually found it possible to take the movie seriously). This movie, meanwhile, cannot be considered any kind of masterpiece, but is worth seeing, if only once. I'll have to see Edward Dmytryk's other movies to fully understand his style.Also starring Alan Ladd (in his final role), Bob Cummings, Martha Hyer, Lew Ayres, Martin Balsam, Archie Moore, Leif Erickson and Charles Lane.

patnclaire The previous reviewers who noticed a resemblance between Jonas and Howard are correct. In fact when the novel came out, Hughes tried to buy the rights so as to bury them. When the movie was being filmed, Hughes had the daily Rushes screened so as to either veto them or accept them. Those which he vetoed were re-shot. He wanted Jonas different from himself. Hughes was an only child. Hughes was, from all accounts, a tea-totaler. He never smoked. He married Ella Rice (Rice University, Texas) and divorced her. He married Jean Peters and divorced her. He married Terrie Moore and died. He never went back to any of his old flames, unlike the movie. Whether or not the old actors like William S Hart were like Nevada Smith is up to you. He would have met the real Wyatt Earp during movie making although it is never reported. He did pal around with Cary Grant, and never did get over Katherine Hepburn. Some where among all the young starlets, he is rumored to have contracted Syphilis but to my knowledge, it was never confirmed officially in the autopsy. Hughes is to be admired for his genius and achievements and to be pitied for his self-imposed asylum confinement in hotel suites. His money did make Los Vegas casinos respectable. His money did fund Hughes Medical Institute which still does medical research. He saw the coming of cable TV, although his underlings torpedoed his investment in that. Personally, I think that he did meet Melvin Dumar on a dark road in Nevada. Associates must have "done him wrong" early on because he never seems to trust anyone but himself. Had he trusted any of his wives, and he may have been salvaged instead of savaged. The movie is sheer entertainment.

videospoon I understand it was Andy Warhal's as well. This is the Hollywood Trash/Dream Factory at its best. I fell in love with Carrol Baker and her one liners, George Peppard played a role we all would love to play in our lives but would NEVER admit it. Oh that look he gave her by the roulette table when he decided to cast her as the lead for his movie and that smirk...does not come any better then that. It is a colorful gorgeous melodrama that is pure entertainment a la Imitation of Life or Madame X. Again my favorite movie ever. I was shocked to find out George P was already 36 by then. A very sexy man in a very sexy fun movie. Now that i found out Jeannie Dention was supposed to be Joan Crawford i was laghing out loud with delight.

thinker1691 The lives of famous people is often seen from the perspective of those whom he trampled on the way to success. Thus one can easily see the legendary figure of the late Howard Hughes in the film, "The Carpetbaggers." For many who lived through the era of the infamous tycoon, it is not difficult to envision the phobic billionaire in the ambitious character Jonas Cord (George Peppard). The film is a tribute to his youth which unexpectedly cuts short his carefree lifestyle by the death of his father. Hiding a deep dark family secret which Jonas believes is hereditary, he plunges recklessly into the world of business, finance, aviation and film making. Along the way, he secures friends and foes alike including life-time friend Nevada Smith (Alan Ladd) and film agent Dan Pierce (Robert Cummings). Furthermore, he seeks and abandons a bevy of beautiful women, like bouquets of flowers. Once he wins those delicate cuts of nature, he discards them at will. All things Cord touches either makes him richer or more despotic. The film's pace is as fast as Hughes' life and in the end, one wonders if it offers a moral lesson or a warning to those seek fame and fortune at the cost of one's humanity? ****