▁she ▁was ▁given ▁un cred ited ▁bit ▁parts ▁in ▁important ▁films ▁and ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁replace ▁Dor othy ▁Lam our . ▁Her ▁first ▁lead ▁was ▁for ▁independent ▁producer ▁E . ▁B . ▁Der r ▁in ▁the ▁James ▁Fen imore ▁Cooper ▁advent ure ▁De ers layer ▁( 1 9 4 3 , ▁ultimately ▁released ▁by ▁Republic ▁Pictures ). ▁ ▁She ▁obtained ▁her ▁break through ▁role ▁in ▁Sal ome , ▁Where ▁She ▁Dan ced ▁( 1 9 4 5 ), ▁a ▁Universal ▁Pictures ▁release ▁produced ▁by ▁Walter ▁W anger , ▁who ▁described ▁her ▁as ▁" the ▁most ▁beautiful ▁girl ▁in ▁the ▁world ." ▁The ▁film ' s ▁public ity ▁and ▁success ▁turned ▁her ▁into ▁a ▁star , ▁and ▁she ▁signed ▁a ▁five - year ▁contract ▁with ▁Universal . ▁From ▁then ▁on , ▁Universal ▁star red ▁her ▁in ▁its ▁lav ish ▁Techn icol or ▁produ ctions , ▁such ▁as ▁Front ier ▁Gal ▁( 1 9 4 5 ), ▁Song ▁of ▁Sche her az ade ▁( 1 9 4 7 ), ▁and ▁S lave ▁Girl ▁( 1 9 4 7 ). ▁Camer amen ▁voted ▁her ▁" Que en ▁of ▁Techn icol or " ▁three ▁years ▁in ▁a ▁row . ▁T ired ▁of ▁being ▁type cast ▁as ▁ex otic ▁women , ▁she ▁made ▁her ▁first ▁serious ▁dram atic ▁performances ▁in ▁two ▁films ▁no ir , ▁Br ute ▁Force ▁( 1 9 4 7 ) ▁and ▁Cr iss ▁Cross ▁( 1 9 4 9 ). ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁American ▁film ▁star ▁to ▁visit ▁Israel , ▁De ▁Carlo ▁received ▁further