Kattiera Nana I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Konterr Brilliant and touching

Neive Bellamy Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

bkoganbing I'm sure that when Robert Aldrich thought of doing The Legend Of Lylah Clare he would be doing another one of those acid exposes of Hollywood like The Bad And The Beautiful or his own The Big Knife. I don't think Aldrich set out with the idea of making a bad movie.But I guess if you're going to do a bad one, make it so stupefyingly bad that it acquires a reputation, a legend if you will. Borrowing in no small measure on the alleged symbiotic relationship of Marlene Dietrich and Josef Von Sternberg, The Legend Of Lylah Clare was so bad that neither Dietrich or Von Sternberg would bother to sue.The arrogant and dictatorial Peter Finch years earlier had plucked the woman who became Lylah Clare whom he married and then who died on their wedding night most mysteriously. Now agent Milton Selzer who was Lylah Clare's agent comes to Finch with the idea of making a biographical film of the late star. As he purportedly knew her best, he's just the guy. And Selzer who wants to produce this film has a young starlet in Kim Novak who is the spitting image of the late movie legend.After this work on the project starts with studio boss Ernest Borgnine overseeing the film. Novak starts becoming more and more like the late Lylah Clare as she immerses herself in the character. Pretty soon everyone treats her just like Lylah including Finch.When he was making his film about Andy Kauffman, Jim Carrey told the press he felt the late comedian taking over his persona, but no one laughed at that because Carrey turned out a good film. The Legend Of Lylah Clare is a treatise of overacting. Everyone here knew this one was going to be a Thanksgiving special with all the trimmings and acted accordingly. They all must have had a really good time on the set, knowing how bad this was. And director Aldrich gave his cast free reign.This one should be seen to see that even with a top director and a really good cast one can still turn out a stinker.

preppy-3 Director Lewis Zarken (Peter Finch) was married to beautiful actress Lylah Clare (Kim Novak). Lylah died (in 1948) under mysterious circumstances and he vowed never to direct again. Twenty years later he meets Elsa Brinkman (Novak again) and becomes obsessed with remaking her as Lylah while directing a movie on her life.This has become infamous as one of the worst movies ever made. I don't think it's even close to being the worst but it certainly isn't good. The plot is silly and some of the dialogue is REALLY dumb but it's never dull and is a LOT of fun to watch! I THINK this is supposed to be a satire on Hollywood but it seems like they're taking it seriously! Most of the acting is over the top matching the script. Finch chews the scenery but is clearly enjoying it; Ernest Borgnine yells his whole role; Coral Browne shows up as an incredibly vicious columnist and a very young Michael Murphy walks around looking bewildered. Only Novak and Rossella Falk give restrained performances. Novak is very good in a dual role and Falk plays a lesbian--very daring for 1968.It's a really silly film but I enjoyed every stupid line and revelled in the performances. Good luck finding it--I don't think it was ever released on DVD (small wonder). TCM does show it every once in a while. Ignore the R rating this has (probably because of the mild lesbian content)--it would get a PG-13 today. And can ANYONE tell me what that dog commercial is about at the end? I give it an 8.

joelburman This movie surprised me a whole lot. It is about a movie production about a former Superstar actress named Lylah Clare both the role as Lylah and the actress portraying her is played by the stunning Kim Novak.The film has a complicated structure that is hard to follow sometimes. The ending is especially good and I will not give it away but it will probably surprise most of you. Kim Novak looks better than ever in some scenes and she shows that she can act. However, she is more or less portraying the same role that she played for the rest of her career. You may wonder how much she really acted? Sometimes it feels like she played herself in her movies.

moonspinner55 Another piece of yesterday from Robert Aldrich, filthied-up through his askew, slightly campy/slightly too-serious vision. We never know where we sit with an Aldrich movie; he enjoys setting up a comfortable scenario before wickedly pulling the rug out from under his audience. He exposes all the weaknesses of Kim Novak as an actress, brutally letting the puckered blonde look silly (at her expense) and without ever giving her a fair shot at a meaty scene. The opening moments are richly evocative, but they don't last long: Kim (in a mousy wig) hangs out in a dingy apartment in Hollywood, surrounded by old movie magazines. Turns out she resembles a long-deceased movie queen named Lylah Clare and is quickly tapped to star in a picture of the actress' doomed life--to be directed by Lylah's widower husband! Bits of satire, supernatural elements and symbolism muddy up this stew, though I admit to being engrossed by it all. Peter Finch, as always, is worth watching, and Novak's mere presence is tantalizing (even if her acting is not). Frank De Vol's background score is lush, and I loved some of the set-pieces and overwrought melodrama. As for the ending, I would have a tough time explaining it to anyone, except to say that it is Aldrich's stamp as a director to go over-the-top. Here, he goes a little bit over-the-edge as well. ** from ****