Often described as Ulmer's Citizen Kane, this is, alongside The Black Cat, Bluebeard and Detour, one of the Poverty Row king's very finest films. The film follows the rise to power of Horace Woodruff Vendig (an admirably cast Scott) through flashbacks which both stress his destructive use of others and refuse to explain his ambitions through clear-cut motivations. RUTHLESS is an indictment of the idea of success at any price....with first rate performances from Lucille Bremer, Martha Vickers and Sidney Greenstreet in his last great screen role.
