Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Rosie Searle It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Isbel A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

clanciai This was Alan Ladd's last film, he died in January the following year only 50 years old, but seldom has a great film star made a nobler exit. He was quite a small man, often he had to use high heels for his filming, especially with larger women, but he was one of the toughest of them all, and he fights it out more than well in almost every film of his. Here he is the older mentor of George Peppard, born a multi millionaire, completely ruthless and without any human feelings, it seems, almost like a psychopath. The fact that he does have deep-set psychological problems gradually becomes more evident as the film develops with all his human wrecks on the way, especially dames, and no one can do anything about it, except Alan Ladd in the end.It's a towering film worthy of Edward Dmytryk's finest achievements, and the architectural psychological structure is carefully constructed with deliberate care to reach overwhelming proportions. George Peppard's character is entirely abominable, and he even gets worse along the course of his shipwrecks. Harold Robbins' novel is loosely based on the character and career of Howard Hughes, aviator, film producer and multi millionaire, and is a caricature of him just as "Citizen Kane" was one of William Randolph Hearst. Sometimes caricatures reach the truth better than actual documentaries, and George Peppard's character couldn't be more convincing. The other actors are also excellent, especially Robert Cummings as the typical tycoon lackey and Lew Ayres in one of his few but always eloquent performances. Caroll Baker is as vulgar as ever, Martha Hyer makes an impression like of Marilyn Monroe, and Elizabeth Ashley could almost have been Audrey Hepburn. It's a great film, and although you hate it cordially from the beginning for its lousy cynical monsters of ruthless bullies, the film remains a masterpiece.

gilligan1965 As with "The Blue Max" and other movies starring George Peppard, this is him playing himself as the pompous and arrogant man he was.There's no doubt that Peppard was a great actor at one time; but, the characters he played make you want to like him 'almost' as much as you want to hate him. This movie is no exception.Peppard plays a 'rich-kid' who revels in the fact that his dad suddenly dies and leaves everything to him.He immediately takes charge of all of his dad's business affairs (and, other affairs), and...there are many unexpected and monumental things that take place by an overly ambitious and arrogant inherited son who always thought that his dad was never the businessman whom he believed himself to be.This is a good movie.

Helene Chevrette I'd heard of this movie, but had never gotten around to watching it... I was impressed by the quality of the script in some scenes and then let down in others... Interesting characters, though stereotypical. The pretty blonds, the cowboy, the drunks, the agents but one character stands out, and that is the wife of power hungry industrialist, Monica Wintrop. You think she'll flake but she keeps on going and in the end well... I won't spoil it for you! I think she has the best line in the movie. Here it goes: When her husband asks if she's pregnant: "It happens, you know, look at all the people in China!... Besides, accidents happen mostly in the home."

JasparLamarCrabb Why anyone would bother to tell the Howard Hughes story and change all the names is anyone's guess, but here it is. THE CARPETBAGGERS is way over the top entertainment that somehow manages to skirt campiness despite casting George Peppard in the lead role. Never the most imaginative actor, Peppard is in virtually every scene and your tolerance for him will dictate how much fun you have watching this potboiler. The A-list supporting cast includes Lew Ayres, Alan Ladd, Martha Hyer, Elizabeth Ashley, and Martin Balsam. Carroll Baker appears briefly as Peppard's insanely too young stepmother and Bob Cummings is great as a shifty PR man. B-movie legend Audrey Totter has a great bit as a hooker who sets Peppard on the right road after a booze soaked binge. THE CARPETBAGGERS is directed by the hack Edward Dmytryk from the novel by Harold Robbins --- a match made in schlock heaven if ever there was one!