East Side, West Side (1949)

65% of users liked it
(324 ratings)

Director Mervyn Leroy lends a burnished MGM gloss to this sordid tale of infidelity among rich New York East Siders. Barbara Stanwyck stars as Jessie Bourne, a charming society woman whose finds out that her husband Brandon (James Mason) is guiltily indulging in an illicit affair with the earthy… More Director Mervyn Leroy lends a burnished MGM gloss to this sordid tale of infidelity among rich New York East Siders. Barbara Stanwyck stars as Jessie Bourne, a charming society woman whose finds out that her husband Brandon (James Mason) is guiltily indulging in an illicit affair with the earthy Isobel Lorrison (Ava Gardner). Jessie bears her husband's indiscretion with a gallant dignity, and when Isabelle is killed, Jesse realizes that she doesn't care for Brandon anyway. Van Heflin is also on hand as ex-cop Mark Dwyer, who admires Jessie's stoic dignity. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 50 min.
Directed By: Mervyn LeRoy
Written By: Isobel Lennart
Genres: Drama, Classics

In Theaters: Dec 22, 1949 Wide
On DVD: Oct 30, 2007

Critic Reviews

Paul Brenner, Filmcritic.com
nothing but burnished dreck
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
In the MGM tradition, it presents such uninteresting melodrama trash with style and makes it entertaining through its talented cast.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

A good drama about complicated romances.
Michael G

A great cast isn't given much to do in this generally droll melodrama that gets slightly noirish. Barbara Stanwyck and James Mason are surprisingly unmemorable, but and early performance by Ava Gardner stands out (as if a young Ava Gardner couldn't stand out) for the few… More
A great cast isn't given much to do in this generally droll melodrama that gets slightly noirish. Barbara Stanwyck and James Mason are surprisingly unmemorable, but and early performance by Ava Gardner stands out (as if a young Ava Gardner couldn't stand out) for the few scenes she has but East Side, West Side. Otherwise this movie is just dated and for the most part forgettable.
Lanning :

This one really took me by surprise; it's well worth the watch. Barbara Stanwyck is superb here as the long-suffering wife of James Mason, the playboy who claims to love her, but cannot seem to stop chasing other women -- especially Ava Gardner. This might be Stanwyck's… More
This one really took me by surprise; it's well worth the watch. Barbara Stanwyck is superb here as the long-suffering wife of James Mason, the playboy who claims to love her, but cannot seem to stop chasing other women -- especially Ava Gardner. This might be Stanwyck's best acting job I've seen so far. It's very understated. You feel sorry for her, but she never overplays the victim role. She is too strong to do that, by far.<p> The biggest surprise for me, however, is Van Heflin. If this were a performance battle between him and James Mason, Heflin would clearly be the winner. Too bad he didn't have a greater career. The man can really deliver lines. <p> As a side note, Cyd Charisse does not dance in this one. Still, she is wonderful. A very fine actress on top of her dancing prowess.

Cast

            Barbara Stanwyck as Jessie Bourne

            James Mason as Brandon Bourne

            Van Heflin as Mark Dwyer

            Ava Gardner as Isabel Lorrison

            Cyd Charisse as Rosa Senta

            Nancy Davis as Helen Lee

            Gale Sondergaard as Nora Kernan

            William Conrad as Lieutenant Jacobi

            Raymond Greenleaf as Horace Elcott Howland

            Douglas Kennedy as Alec Dawning

            Beverly Michaels as Felice Backett

            William Frawley as Bill the Bartender

            Lisa Golm as Josephine

            Tom Powers as Owen Lee

            Mimi Aguglia
            
            Ernest Anderson as Redcap

            Jean Andren
            
            Louis Austin
            
            Ferike Boros as Grandma Sistina

            Wheaton Chambers as Doorman

            Jack Gargan as Doorman

            Fred Hoose
            
            Meredith Leeds
            
            Lou Lubin
            
            Ralph Montgomery
            
            Nino Pipitone
            
            Paula Raymond as Joan Peterson

            Jewel Rose as Hat Check Girl

            Vito Scotti
            
            Harry Strang as Fred the Doorman

            Stanley Waxman as John

            Lillian West as Maid

            Wilson Wood
            
            James H. Horne
            
            Peter Thompson as Jock Ardley

            Rita Lynn
            
            Bette Arlen
            
            Charles McAvoy
            
            Frank Meredith as Cop

            Wesley Bly as Club Attendant

            Stanley Orr as Bourne's Chauffeur

            Sandra Spence as Cigaret Girl

            Tom Dillon
            
            Roger Moore as Reporter
See full cast