Madame X

Watch Madame X

"Great performance by Ruth Chatterton in this early talkie"
  • Approved
  • 1966
  • 1 hr 40 min
  • 6.9  (2,535)

Madame X is a drama film released in 1966, starring Lana Turner, John Forsythe, and Ricardo Montalban. The movie, directed by David Lowell Rich, is a story of a woman, Holly Anderson (played by Lana Turner), who has faced a lot of struggles in her life. The film opens with Holly, who is now an old woman, living alone in France. She receives a letter from her son, Clayton (played by Keir Dullea), asking her to return home to the United States. Holly, who has been living a life of exile, is hesitant to return, but eventually decides to comply with her son's request.

The movie then takes us back to Holly's early days when she was a young, innocent girl living in a small town. She falls in love with Clayton Anderson (played by John Forsythe), who is the son of a wealthy family. Despite her family's protests, Holly marries Clayton and moves with him to New York City.

However, Holly's dreams of a perfect life are shattered when Clayton gets involved in an accident, and Holly is blamed for his death. Holly's mother-in-law, Estelle (played by Constance Bennett), bribes Holly to leave and disappear forever in exchange for a large sum of money.

Thus, Holly abandons her young son and embarks on a new life under a fake identity, Madame X. She travels to different countries and becomes a successful cabaret singer. However, her past continues to haunt her, and she finds solace only in alcohol.

Years later, Holly accidentally meets her son, Clayton Jr. (played by Keir Dullea), who has no idea that Madame X is his mother. Holly tries to reconnect with him, but things go awry when Clayton Jr. finds out about her true identity. She is put on trial for the murder of her husband and decides to plead guilty to protect her son from the stigma of having a murderer as a mother.

The trial and the aftermath form the rest of the movie, as we see Holly's redemption through her love for her son and her willingness to pay for her past deeds. Ricardo Montalban plays Phil Benton, Holly's lawyer, who tries his best to get her acquitted and offer her a chance at a better life.

Overall, Madame X is a gripping drama that explores the themes of sacrifice, love, and redemption. Lana Turner delivers an outstanding performance as the tortured and conflicted Holly, while John Forsythe does justice to his role as the victim of circumstances. Ricardo Montalban brings in the much-needed charm and empathy to the movie. The film's screenplay, cinematography, and music are top-notch, and the director ensures that the movie keeps the audience engaged till the very end.

Madame X is a 1966 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9.

Madame X
Description
Where to Watch Madame X
Madame X is available to watch, stream, download and buy on demand at Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube VOD and Vudu. Some platforms allow you to rent Madame X for a limited time or purchase the movie and download it to your device.
  • Release Date
    1966
  • MPAA Rating
    Approved
  • Runtime
    1 hr 40 min
  • Language
    English
  • IMDB Rating
    6.9  (2,535)
Watch all of
Do you have Paramount+?
Ad Info
No thanks, I'm not interested in Paramount+