Ruthless

Ruthless is a drama and thriller centered on Horace Vendig, a wealthy man who rose from poverty through ambition and manipulation. To enter high society, he convinced the father of his friend Martha to pay for his education at Harvard. Years later, a childhood friend named Vic visits Horace's estate, bringing a woman named Mallory Flagg who looks remarkably like Martha. This reunion brings old conflicts to light as the story explores Horace's greed and the events leading to his downfall.

The film was directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, following his work on Detour and preceding his direction of Hannibal. The cast features Zachary Scott, Louis Hayward, Diana Lynn, Sydney Greenstreet, Lucille Bremer, and Martha Vickers. Produced by Arthur S. Lyons and released in the United States in 1948, the production involved Arthur S. Lyons Productions and Eagle-Lion Films. The movie has a runtime of 104 minutes and included 27 credited cast members.

Audience reception is mixed across platforms. It holds a rating of 6.8/10 on IMDb based on 1,600 votes, while on TMDB it has a lower score of 5.7/10 from 30 votes.