Baby Doll (1956)

Drunken cotton gin owner Karl Malden had promised Carroll Baker’s now deceased father that he would not consummate their marriage until her 20th birthday. On the eve of that fateful day, the future of Malden’s cotton gin has depleted while Baker’s sexuality is burgeoning. Into this disturbance appears Eli Wallach, a sexier, somewhat younger, more successful, Sicilian American competitor. It’s a very sultry movie, both in its Mississippi location and the desires burning at the surface for all three characters. Malden’s character is out-matched completely by the other two, even if it takes him until the end before he fully realizes it.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actress in a Leading Role; Best Actress in a Supporting Role; Best Writing, Best Screenplay – Adapted; Best Cinematography, Black-and-White