''Three Bad Sisters'' is a 1956 American

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

directed by Gilbert Kay, written by

Gerald Drayson Adams Gerald Drayson Adams (June 25, 1900 – August 23, 1988) was a former business executive and literary agent when he began writing for films in the 1940s. The Oxford University-educated Adams specialized in action/adventure and western films. His ...

and starring

Marla English Marleine Gaile English (January 4, 1935 – December 10, 2012) was an American film actress during the 1950s. Early years She was born Marleine Gaile English in San Diego, California. As a teenager, she worked as a model and performed locally. ...

Kathleen Hughes Kathleen Hughes (born Elizabeth Margaret von Gerkan; November 14, 1928) is an American actress. Early life Hughes' uncle, F. Hugh Herbert, was a playwright who authored ''Kiss and Tell'' and ''The Moon Is Blue''. Her desire to act was inspired ...

Sara Shane Sara Shane, born Elaine Sterling, (May 18, 1928 – July 31, 2022) was an American actress, who starred in film and television during the Golden Age Era in the 1950s and early 1960s. Acting career Born Elaine Sterling, Shane secured a film con ...

John Bromfield John Bromfield (born Farron Bromfield; June 11, 1922 – September 19, 2005) was an American actor and commercial fisherman. Early years Farron Bromfield was born in South Bend, Indiana. He played football and was a boxing champion at Saint Mar ...

and

Jess Barker Jess Barker (June 4, 1912 – August 8, 2000) was an American actor who was active between the 1940s and 1970s. He was best known as the first husband of actress Susan Hayward. Early years Barker was born in Greenville, South Carolina. Career ...

. It was released in January 1956 by

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the studi ...

Plot

Valerie, Vicki and Lorna Craig are the daughters of a man worth $40 million who is killed in a

Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...

plane crash. The pilot, Jim Norton, was unharmed. Jim is unable to fly while the crash is investigated. Valerie offers him $200,000 to seduce and abandon her sister Lorna, executor of their father's will. Lorna is engaged to George Gurney, their father's attorney. Jim finds her contemplating a leap from a high cliff into the water, dared by Valerie to do it. Valerie threatens to frame Jim for murdering her father if he refuses to cooperate. Then Vicki makes romantic advances, trying to lure Jim away from her sister's clutches. Valerie lashes her with a whip, scarring her face. Vicki flees in a car, crashes and is killed. Jim proposes marriage to Lorna, who is unsure whether she can trust him. Valerie attempts to murder Lorna and stage it to appear to have been an accident. When her scheme fails, Valerie is killed in a speeding car. Jim goes to the cliff and discovers that Lorna has made the leap. He dives into the water and saves her.

Cast

as Vicki Craig *

as Valerie Craig *

as Lorna Craig *

as Jim Norton *

as George Gurney *

Madge Kennedy Madge Kennedy (April 19, 1891 – June 9, 1987) was a stage, film and TV actress whose career began as a stage actress in 1912 and flourished in motion pictures during the silent film era. In 1921, journalist Heywood Broun described her as "the ...

as Martha Craig *

Anthony George Anthony George (born Ottavio Gabriel George; January 29, 1921 – March 16, 2005) was an American actor mostly seen on television. He is best known for roles of Don Corey in CBS's ''Checkmate'', Burke Devlin #2 and Jeremiah Collins on ABC's ...

as Tony Cadiz *Marlene Felton as Nadine

Reception

In a contemporary review for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', critic A. H. Weiler wrote: "John Bromfield, who is surrounded by the titular trio of decorative but decidedly disturbed dames exposed in 'Three Bad Sisters,' is heard to remark, 'I'm tired of being blamed for what happens in this nut house.' Mr. Bromfield makes quite a point there. A viewer is likely to become just as weary after observing only part of the homicides, mayhem and stock romance exhibited in this artless little melodrama ... Despite their and riches, 'Three Bad Sisters' make one poor picture."

References

External links

* 1956 films United Artists films Film noir American crime drama films 1956 crime drama films Films scored by Paul Dunlap 1950s English-language films 1950s American films American black-and-white films {{1950s-drama-film-stub