Hard, Fast and Beautiful

An intriguing little melodrama from the underrated Lupino, with Trevor as an ambitious, domineering mother who pushes her daughter (Forrest) to become a tennis champion, only to accuse her of ingratitude when she falls for Clarke and tires of the tournament circuit. Rather like a Mildred Pierce of the sporting world but with sympathies reversed, it's a mite predictable in its plotting, but Trevor is typically excellent, and Lupino never sentimentalises the mother-daughter relationship. Nowhere near as rewarding as either The Hitch-hiker or The Bigamist, but a very watchable entertain- ment all the same from one of Hollywood's few women directors.