Lost Lonely And Vicious

2590. LOST, LONELY and VICIOUS (1957-USA). Here is a fascinating tell-all expose of life in the Hollywood fast lane. It is described at its outset as “a realistic(depiction) of how one young actor struggles with life” and “a sympathetic story of a sensitive youth.” He is Johnnie Dennis, and the similarity of his name to that of the then-recently deceased James Dean is not unintentional. Johnnie is a drop-dead handsome young movie actor on the brink of superstardom. The talk in the industry is that he is sure to win an Academy Award nomination for his first starring screen role. However, at the same time, Johnnie is a deeply troubled fellow who is hounded by a death wish. He is surrounded by people who are not concerned with his well- being, including a group of single-mindedly determined aspiring actors with mile-wide egos who are easily prone to jealousy, and a drama teacher who sees him mostly as a commodity. Johnnie has no one with whom he can confide. “A star can’t afford to be hurt,” his teacher tells him as he attempts to express his feelings. Despite his impending fame, Johnnie declares that he feels “more alone now than I ever have in my life.” Then he happens to meet a sweet and levelheaded young drugstore clerk who is unimpressed by his fame, and who exerts a positive influence on him. Still, one of Johnnie’s favorite avocations is speeding around in his sports car. Will his recklessness behind the wheel combine with his death wish to result in his early, bloody demise? 72 minutes. Drama