Desire

From Frank Borzage, the acclaimed director of Bad Girl, Little Man, What Now?, The Mortal Storm and Moonrise, comes the classic romantic comedy Desire. Screen legends Marlene Dietrich (The Blue Angel, Touch of Evil) and Gary Cooper (Beau Geste, High Noon) star in this story about a crime spree that leads to love. In the most elaborate jewel heist in European history, the beautiful and conniving “Countess” Madeline (Dietrich) embezzles a small fortune of pearls. As she makes her getaway to Spain to deliver the hot goods, her escape is thwarted by car trouble, until a handsome and likable young tourist (Cooper) helps her out. She shows her gratitude by leaving the unsuspecting good Samaritan in the dust—literally! When he accidentally ends up with the pearls, she must feign romantic interest to get them back. The charade soon turns into the real thing, however, and Madeline realizes that her only hope of happiness is to clean up her act—no matter what the cost—or lose the man she loves. Desire co-stars Akim Tamiroff (The General Died at Dawn), John Halliday (Bird of Paradise) and William Frawley (TV’s I Love Lucy).