Movies to recommend?

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Good choice! I think that's one of the most under-rated films of the Golden Era. It's a shame Jimmy Stewart was so mis-cast but with Lana, Judy and Hedy on screen, red-blooded males like myself are kept entertained haha!

Madame X (1966) - Lana puts in an excellent and versatile dramatic performance in the title role. The pace is inconsistent but I'd say this was her last great role.

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) - Probably Lana's biggest hit. In this one she is as sultry and sexy as the censors would allow anyone to be. But her acting is flawless too and the chemistry with leading man John Garfield ignites the screen.

Imitation of Life (1959) - Tragic race-based melodrama with Lana playing an absent showbiz mother (a subject that was close to home). Ms Turner was superb but in truth, the star of this one was Juanita Moore, who played her selfless maid.

Personally I prefer the gorgeous, young Lana of the 1940s (particularly Ziegfeld Girl, Postman and Honky Tonk) but frankly I'd watch anything with her in it. Hope you find this post helpful. Always nice to meet another Lana Turner fan.

All of the movies that Mr Siney recommended are great examples of Lana the actress (particularly "Madame X"). Others to watch are:

These Glamour Girls (1939) - Lana plays a taxi dancer who holds her own with a group of snobbish upper-crust girls during a weekend at a swankey college (watch out for the extended dance she has with Peter [Lind] Hayes at one of the parties - she's obviously having a ball).

Slightly Dangerous (1943) - A cute little film (the first picture in which she wasn't co-starring opposite a huge star) in which Lana claims to be a missing heiress. She & Robert Young have great screen chemistry together!

Green Dolphin Street (1947) - Lana plays a headstrong young woman in this superbly-turned-out costume drama with the likes of Van Heflin & Donna Reed as her co-stars.

The Three Musketeers (1948) - Lana's first technicolor film in which she looks absolutely ravishing!!! Her Lady de Winter makes Cora in "Postman" look like Little Mary Sunshine - she is simply dripping with unmitagated evil!

I could go on, but these should keep you going for a while!

I must admit I've seen most of her films & the only one I really don't like at all is "Mr Imperium" - a dull picture to be avoided at all costs!!!!!

Check out "Latin Lovers" with a young Ricardo Montalban from 1953. Unfortunately it's only on VHS but I saw it today on TCM.

I've heard good things about 'Cass Timberlane' (w/Spencer Tracy). I just got it on DVD-R but haven't been able to watch it yet. Same goes for 'Slightly Dangerous'. If I watch either of them soon I'll come back for an update...

One I can recommend to you, though, is 'Johnny Eager'. It's not a huge role, but Lana has seldom looked more beautiful. She's very young in it...plus it's a great movie! (Robert Taylor and Van Heflin).

I kinda liked 'The Sea Chase' too....she's a bit older in that, but it was before 'Imitation', I'm pretty sure. John Wayne stars, and there are a few future stars in it, including James Arness.

Oh, how could I forget...don't miss 'The Bad and the Beautiful'!

I'm a huge Lana fan like all of you guys; it frustrates me that she doesn't get more respect on IMDB. She was more beautiful than 95% of all Hollywood females, especially in her younger, poutier incarnation (although I did find her beautiful at the beginning of Madame X, when she was around 45, I'm pretty sure!)...and she was a pretty damn good actress too!


"How do you feel?"
"Like the Kling-Klang King of the Rim-Ram Room!"

I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned Peyton Place (1957), Lana's lone Academy Award-nominated performance.

One of her most underrated films is A Life of Her Own (1950) a deluze soaper directed by George Cukor very much in the tradition of the Douglas Sirk films she would make later in the decade.

Portrait in Black (1960) was a pretty good followup to her smash Imitation of Life .

I've always kind of liked the rather trivial Lady Takes a Flyer (1958), a very mild little comedy/drama with that unique pastel Technicolor look of Universal films of the mid 1950's.

I liked Cass Timberlane too because it's got Tracy and Zack Scott playing against each other.

"The Bad and the Beautiful" and "Keep your Powder Dry". Also "Portrait in Black". "The Prodigal" is trash, but it's enjoyable enough.