Name: L'ambitieuse
Genre: Drama
Released: 1959-10-14
Duration: 1 h 29 min
Rating: 5.9
Cast: Edmond O'Brien, Richard Basehart, Andréa Parisy

It's the story of people who must corrupt and change and flourish and wither.

Operating under a number of different titles (the best being The Restless and the Damned), L'ambitieuse was simultaneously filmed both in French and English by director Yves Allégret. It stars Edmond O'Brien, Richard Basehart, Andréa Parisy and Nicole Berger. 

Set and filmed in Tahiti, L'ambitieuse is a film that tries the patience at first. The set up is all about greed and infidelity, where Parisy will do anything to achieve wealth, much to the chagrin of her ever unhappy husband (Basehart) and the ever horny business partner/dupe (O'Brien). As the femme fatale dominates her husband whilst dangling her admirer on a string, the two men, now realising they are in a web of deceit, make some decisions that will spell doom for some of them... 

Initially some of the acting annoys and hinders the slow paced favoured by Allégret. O'Brien is too hyper and over mugs it, while Parisy simply isn't a good enough actress to convince with the literary aspects of the screenplay. However, once a terrific free for all involving bicycles arrives (seriously, bikes as weapons), the film kicks up a gear and O'Brien settles down while Parisy gets to sexy things up - something which is clearly in her range. As the business machinations begin to thrive (the music score is purposely off-kilter), and the greed and disloyalty's come to the fore, the pic starts to grip and leads you to what is a pitch black film noir finale. 

It's something of a rare picture and hard to track down, but if you can catch it then fans of O'Brien and Basehart are well served by their committed presence, whilst on narrative terms it's a picture comfortably recommended for the noir heads among us. 6.5/10

French-language cinema, whether in France, Québec, or other Francophone regions, explores cultural identity, social change, and the tension between the individual and society. French cinema is not only celebrated for its intellectual experimentation and auteur traditions, but also its success in mainstream comedy, romance, and commercial entertainment. In Québec, films often focus on questions of language, belonging, and community within a distinct cultural landscape.

Jean-Pierre Léaud in The 400 Blows (1959)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

Set in French Polynesia, a man trades his old life for one in the Pacific.

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood's perfect pairs.

Hollywood Power Couples

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood&#39;s perfect pairs.

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

See who dazzled on the red carpet and took home gold at the 78th Primetime Creative Emmy Awards.

Primetime Creative Arts Emmys: Photos We Love

Dominique Blanchar, Hildegard Knef, and Oskar Werner in Decision Before Dawn (1951)

Edmond O'Brien in The Restless and the Damned (1959)

Richard Basehart in The Restless and the Damned (1959)

Edmond O'Brien and Andréa Parisy in The Restless and the Damned (1959)

The Restless and the Damned

Photos38

Top Cast9

User reviews2

More like this

Related interests

Storyline

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed