The Bad and the Beautiful (1952): cast, story & where to watch
1952 · Film · ★ 7.4
Released in 1952, The Bad and the Beautiful is a drama and romance film directed by Vincente Minnelli, running about 118 minutes. “I took you out of the gutter... I can fling you back!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Told in flashback form, the film traces the rise and fall of a tough, ambitious Hollywood producer, Jonathan Shields, as seen through the eyes of various acquaintances, including a writer, James Lee Bartlow; a star, Georgia Lorrison; and a director, Fred Amiel. He is a hard-driving, ambitious man who ruthlessly uses everyone on the way to becoming one of Hollywood's top movie makers.
Who’s in it. The Bad and the Beautiful stars Kirk Douglas as Jonathan Shields, Lana Turner as Georgia Lorrison, Walter Pidgeon as Harry Pebbel and Dick Powell as James Lee Bartlow, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.4/10, The Bad and the Beautiful has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $3.4M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on TCM and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Bad and the Beautiful page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Bad and the Beautiful tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)?
- In US, The Bad and the Beautiful is available to stream on TCM, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Bad and the Beautiful worth watching?
- The Bad and the Beautiful holds an audience score of 7.4 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and romance. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Bad and the Beautiful?
- The Bad and the Beautiful stars Kirk Douglas, Lana Turner, Walter Pidgeon, Dick Powell and Barry Sullivan.
- When was The Bad and the Beautiful released?
- The Bad and the Beautiful was released in 1952, with a runtime of about 118 minutes.