7. Cora Smith - The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)
Frank Chambers is a drifter who stops at a diner and ends up working there in one of life's little quirks of fate. The diner is operated by the beautiful Cora and her much older husband Nick. Being a cold hearted slut, Cora starts an affair with Frank and they scheme to kill Nick. Once the deed is done, a man called Kyle Sackett who happens to be the local prosecutor, suspects what has happened and concocts a genius scheme to try Cora, and Cora alone for the murder to get the errant lovers to turn on each other. Cora's defence team is on the ball and she gets away with manslaughter and probation. The lovers reconcile and in a tragic turn of events, Frank has a car crash in which Cora is killed. It was an accident but Frank gets accused of murder and receives the death sentence. Frank is shocked but gradually finds out that he is being increasingly linked to the murder of Nick and accepts his fate. Lana Turner, one of Hollywood's blonde bombshells, stars as femme fatale Cora Smith, a woman who is not just content with cheating on her husband - she has to kill him into the bargain. Now that denotes a heart of stone. Ms Turner positively sizzles on the screen and brings the right note of evil to her character Cora - she is very, very desirable despite her murderous inclinations. She is ably supported in her evil endeavours by John Garfield who plays Frank Chambers. There is very good chemistry between the two characters which makes their evil plans seem absolutely natural. If anything, Lana Turner is perhaps a little too attractive for her role. She plays her part as a Femme Fatale perfectly well, however the tawdriness of the character Cora Smith would have been more believable with a less glamorous actress, more shopworn actress. However, it is a minor quibble and Lana ably plays her role as the diabolical seductress.