This movie has few pretensions at being great art. Instead, it's a very glossy and high quality soap opera that deals with so many sleazy elements in an entertaining way that it will keep your attention throughout. In many ways, this film came out to capitalize on the publicity surrounding Lana Turner's own screwed up family life (her daughter killed boyfriend Johnny Stampanato in 1958)--instead of running from the negative publicity, the movie exploited it, as the film is about a supposedly conservative small town that instead seethes with a cauldron of rape, murder, illegitimacy and hypocrisy! You might have expected Ms. Turner instead to have done a movie akin to THE SINGING NUN after the much publicized trial, but instead chose this tell-all tale. All-in-all, an excellent movie with a great script, wonderful acting and terrific production values.