Flamingo Road (1949)

A carnival dancer (Joan Crawford) finds herself stranded in a small town in the South. She becomes romantically involved with a deputy sheriff (Zachary Scott) which displeases the corrupt political boss (Sydney Greenstreet) who runs the town. He frames her on prostitution charges and she's sent to jail. But when she's released, she begins her climb to respectability. Based on the novel and play by Robert Wilder (WRITTEN ON THE WIND) and directed by Michael Curtiz. This potboiler is typical Crawford late Warners fodder. At age 44, Crawford was already rather matronly for stuff like this and watching her bump and grind in a girlie carnival sideshow is rather "amusing" shall we say. As always, Crawford is mesmerizing to watch (the woman wasn't a Star for nothing) even if the material is hackneyed. But if you've an inclination toward diva melodramas like this (and yes, I've a taste for it), you should find the entertainment value more than adequate. With David Brian, Gladys George, Fred Clark, Virginia Huston and Gertrude Michael.