When Lily resists his romantic advances, he predicts she will end up lonely and depressed like Mary. Cukor protested that Corey projected anything but the image of a rich and suave married man who falls in love with Turner, but to demonstrate his power, Dore Schary hired him. Despite a close friend's suicide, Lily's determination leads to fame and fortune. On her first day in town, she's befriended by Mary Ashlon Ann Dvorak , an aging former cover girl whose despair haunts Lily as she struggles to the top. Mary is depressed about her foundering career and, following a night of excessive drinking, she commits. However, when she sees how nice Nora is and how dependent she is on her husband, Lily cannot bring herself to tell her about her involvement with Steve. On her first day in town, she's befriended by Mary Ashlon Ann Dvorak , an aging former cover girl whose despair haunts Lily as she struggles to the top.
The film was produced by and distributed by. He tells her he is married. When Steve returns to New York to secure a loan, he runs into her. Once she's made it, Lily believes she's transcended her friend's fate -- but then she falls hard for a married man and her path begins to look much like Mary's. On the night of Steve's birthday, Lily hosts a party too, even though Steve stays with Nora, who is making some progress in relearning to walk with crutches. Enjoying the favors of wealthy , seeks out 's wife , hoping to convince the woman to give up her husband. Though not so noted in the credits, was inspired by The Abiding Vision, a novel by.
But when she meets a rich mine owner named Steve Harleigh Ray Milland , Lily realizes that money alone cannot buy happiness. Lily finds that success does not fill the void in her life. A decided asset is Lana Turner's performance. Turner is Lily James, an ambitious young woman from the Midwest who comes to New York to make it as a model. Once she's made it, Lily believes she's transcended her friend's fate -- but then she falls hard for a married man and her path begins to look much like Mary's. A Life of Her Own was Lana Turner's sole film with George Cukor, the director for whom many great actresses gave their finest performances. As a favor to her attorney friend Jim Leversoe , she spends some time with Steve Harleigh , a copper-mine owner in New York on business.
Lily James Lana Turner moves from her small hometown in Kansas to New York City, with dreams of becoming a successful model. Matters come to a head when Nora visits him to celebrate his birthday. While the acting was better than in other Hollywood melodramas about adultery, for Cukor it was a forgettable movie and the nadir of the entire decade. After Steve goes home, he has Jim buy Lily a bracelet, but she refuses to accept it. She befriends former top model Mary Ashlon , who becomes her mentor. .
Lily decides to confront Nora and asks family friend Jim to accompany her. Script is spotted with feeling and character, and also a lot of conversation that doesn't mean much. Lily eventually becomes a very successful model. His wife Nora was left a in an automobile accident for which he was responsible. When she meets the crippled , is made painfully aware of the length and breadth of the woman's love for her husband. She is befriended by over-the-hill cover-girl , whose performance carries the story until she commits suicide twenty minutes into the film. But to his own surprise, Turner could be campy too, even poking fun at herself—screen image and life.
For the first scene, her dress was ugly red chiffon, whose seams were still unsown. Though designed as a star vehicle, nobody wanted to do it, least of all Lana Turner. The two fall in love, but both realize nothing can come of it. Despite this, their feelings for each other are too strong, and they embark on an affair. The film's original ending had Lily leaping to her death, but the studio insisted on a happier finale.
Featuring support from Dvorak 1952's Scarface , Tom Ewell The Seven Year Itch and Louis Calhern 1952's The Prisoner of Zenda , A Life of Her Own is a story that is masterfully told; and timeless. Cukor disapproved of the studio's interference and was unhappy with the film as it was released. Some time later, Lily runs into advertising executive Lee Gorrance , who had been dating Mary just prior to her death. On the way out, she bumps into Steve at the elevator and tells him it is over. Though sympathetic, Cukor was furious when Turner decided to stay home for a couple of days, halting the entire production. She falls for Steve and the lovers begin a passionate affair, but Lily feels guilty when she learns about Steve's paraplegic wife Margaret Phillips. The lousy script was never really finished and the actor cast as the married man, Wendell Corey, was disliked by both Cukor and Turner.
The screenplay by focuses on an aspiring who leaves her small town in the to seek fame and fortune in. Upset by his comments, Lily considers ending her own life, but finally resolves to remain strong, even if she is lonely. Steve slips out to Lily's party and is taken aback by her self-destructive behavior. Cukor, I want you to know one thing, I can do it if I can understand it. Other sources claimed he was dismissed at the request of Turner and director George Cukor following an argument between the two stars supposedly Corey, after an inadvertent wardrobe delay by Turner, made a remark that , whose husband was reportedly having an affair with Turner, wouldn't have kept everyone waiting; Turner then demanded a casting change. Nonetheless, Turner gave a surprisingly subtle performance, better than Cukor had expected of her.
To speed things up, they pinned the dress so that Turner could do the master shot. . . . .
. . . . .