Video Beaverhausen: Lana Turner Is Madame X!

Madame X is a Ross Hunter production for Universal starring Lana Turner and John Forsythe. It's campy fun mostly but have some Kleenex on hand for its finale.

This is a deluxe production and Hunter and the cast and crew pull out all the stops to put this across.

Constance Bennett portrays John Forsythe's mother, though she was only a few years older than he and Ms Turner. Still, she shines as the villainess of this film who causes Lana's downfall.

Though the film is a period piece, the hairdos and clothes are strictly 1960s throughout. Lana's frocks and hairstyles are fabulous, however, despite historic inaccuracy.

Ricardo Montalban is Lana's backstreet lover, an indiscretion that costs her dearly and sets off her downward spiral. Burgess Meredith pops up as a sleaze bag con man, and Keir Dullea (2001: a Space Odyssey, David and Lisa) plays Lana's son.

It's all about a mother's self-sacrifice in the end don'tcha know! You may giggle initially but you'll be in tears by the end, guaranteed.