A beautiful schemer claws her way to the top—by any means necessary.
WICKED AS THEY COME
What she wanted out of life... she got out of men!
A ruthless woman takes advantage of gullible men to climb up the social ladder.
Proof that ambition in 1950s Britain could be downright homicidal.
Arlene Dahl turns on the cold-blooded charm as a social climber who doesn’t mind leaving bodies (and broken hearts) in her wake. With Ken Hughes at the helm, this British drama serves up ambition, manipulation, and more than a pinch of murder. Who knew climbing the social ladder could be so cutthroat—or so stylish?
— SassyFlix Programmer
Wicked as They Come is a 1956 United Kingdom drama film directed by Ken Hughes about a poor but beautiful woman who manipulates and eliminates obstacles—including murder—to climb the social ladder.
- Director
- Ken Hughes
- Writers
- Bill S. Ballinger, Ken Hughes, Robert Westerby, Sigmund Miller
- Release
- 1956
- Runtime
- 1h 34m
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Genres
- Drama
Synopsis
Why Cult
Arlene Dahl gives a sharp-edged performance as Kathy Allen, a woman whose ambition knows no bounds.
This 1956 UK drama channels a distinctly British take on the ambitious schemer, mixing class tension with melodrama.
Watch a masterclass in manipulation as Kathy Allen uses and discards anyone in her way, including lovers and would-be allies.
Trailer
Scene Gallery
Questions from the Vault
What is Wicked as They Come about? +
The film follows a poor but beautiful woman who will stop at nothing, including murder, to climb the social ladder.
When was Wicked as They Come released? +
Wicked as They Come was released in 1956.
Who directed Wicked as They Come? +
Ken Hughes directed Wicked as They Come.
How long is Wicked as They Come? +
The film runs for 94 minutes.
What genre is Wicked as They Come? +
Wicked as They Come is a drama.
