Antonius Block The main theme of this movie is one that has played out so many times in movies and books (and life): a man (James Mason) cheats on his wife (Barbara Stanwyck) with a woman (Ava Gardner) who gives him the thrills she cannot. The affair was over, but now she's back. He resists, but she points out that fireworks are not something to be taken lightly: "Maybe it wasn't love, maybe it was only chemistry, or the right combination, or a miracle. But most people drag through their whole lives without finding it. We both know that, don't we Bran?" And when he tells her he doesn't want to see her again, she purrs the sexy double entendre "I'll do exactly what you want Bran, exactly what you want."Gardner is just brilliant, oozing raw desire and channeling Jean Harlow in "The Red-Headed Woman" when she later gets slapped by Mason. Instead of being hurt, she eggs him on, knowing his passion is rising, and knows "that's what you're missing at home", and "you want to be rotten like me." Stanwyck plays the virtuous wife with quiet grace, though I thought she was too reserved in a showdown scene with the outlandishly mean Gardner. It's always great to see her movies though, and she does play 'hurt' and 'conflicted' well. There is a lot of star power here, with Cyd Charisse and Van Heflin also in the cast, and even an appearance from Nancy Davis, who of course would later be Nancy Reagan. As Stanwyck is betrayed by Mason, she turns to Heflin, and it's quite clear they're mutually attracted. Heflin is so smooth and likable, and there is dignity in his acknowledgment of his love for her without resorting to adultery, in direct contrast to Gardner and Mason. Mason and Stanwyck may have gotten top billing, but I think they were upstaged by Heflin and Gardner. As the pressure ratchets up, both Mason and Stanwyck find themselves needing to make choices, though Mason's is disrupted by an event I won't spoil. There are some events that might be too convenient as it plays out, but there is reality and passion here, and I enjoyed this film.

atlasmb "East Side, West Side" is a character study with the relationship complexities of a soap opera. Barbara Stanwyck and James Mason are a married couple on the mend after his apology for past indiscretions. The woman who encouraged his infidelity, Ava Gardner, returns to town, threatening to dislodge their new solidarity.The character being studied is Mason's. What is his true nature? Does he really love his wife? At the same time, Stanwyck's character is a study in forgiveness. Can anyone totally forgive the ultimate betrayal? How tolerant is too tolerant?What makes this story interesting is the introduction of Cyd Charisse as an outsider who involves herself in the drama. Then Van Heflin enters the fray, transforming the love triangle into an even more complex configuration. Needless to say, the starpower of this cast is one of the best aspects of this mildly disappointing film. The less than stellar story is partly to blame for the disappointment, though I suspect the source novel might be less melodramatic, exploring the interior musings and machinations of the two primary characters.Gardner and Charisse outshine Stanwyck despite her strong efforts. Regardless, there's a lot to see in this Mervyn LeRoy production.

dapplegrey13 Whoever said this "isn't a great film" doesn't enjoy film noir and romance nearly as much as I do. And I can also guess you've never waited up all night worrying about a husband or lover.... pacing the floor, wondering what you are doing wrong, praying he or she is not having an affair --worrying yourself in to a state of illness. I have. And many of my friends have. This movie illustrated so well the multi-dimensional facets of our human characters. I don't think there was a bad guy here --there were people trying to make their relationships work, falling in love, falling out of love, being weak, being strong, having regrets, and having hope....... being very human. I really loved it. I highly recommend it.These actors are four of the finest of their day, and with good reason. Barbara Stanwyck, James Mason, Ava Gardner, and the ever-underrated Van Heflin --wow! It's set in the heart of NYC AND directed by Mervyn LeRoy. Seriously, what a recipe for success! If you get the chance, watch and enjoy "East Side, West Side". You'll be glad you did.

dougdoepke Louis Mayer's MGM had a certain philosophy about high-class soap opera—load the script with stars, glamour, and sophistication, and the story won't matter much because audiences pay attention first to what they see and only secondarily to what they hear. Okay, so I fell for the powerhouse cast. But not even the luscious Gardner or Charisse was enough to compensate for this over-written, over-long "will she leave him or won't she" turkey. It's one talky static scene after another with a desultory murder thrown in. I should have known trouble awaited the other side of that smarmy prologue about New York being "my town".Too bad that Director Le Roy walks through the staging, while Mason appears interested only when dialoging with Sondergaard. At the same time, stuck in a drab, colorless role is the normally gritty Stanwyck. I kept waiting for her long-suffering wife to show some typical Stanwyck fire, but she remains pulse-challenged throughout. Apparently, the normally low- key Heflin sensed the boredom since his high-spirited good guy threatens at times to go over the top. Then too, his instant attraction to Stanwyck over the appealing Charisse remains as much a mystery as the murder itself. I guess it's left to Nancy Davis (Reagan) to hit the right dramatic note and deliver the movie's message— It's true, despite the conflicts over men, women can be friends. With these 1940's sophisticated types, I guess that's a message worth delivering.There are two points of interest. It's clear that Gardner's femme fatale has a sexual hold over Mason's chronic philanderer, rather explicit for the time. But the tension is undercut by Mason's lack of conflicting emotion when confronted with her raw appeal. It's almost like director LeRoy wants to imply the lack of character instead of showing it. Second is the movie's high point that comes out of nowhere. That's when muscular blonde Beverly Michaels all but decks Heflin in the front seat of a car. Their spirited tussle is more riveting and energetic than the rest of the film combined.True, Mayer's astute philosophy got me in the door, plus I enjoyed scoping out Gardner and Charisse, but I'd like my proverbial money back, anyway.