Susan portrayed the role of "Hester" in "Adam Had Four Sons." (1941)------ In 1946, Susan called the role her favorite. She said that she had really needed a "bad girl" role.

"Hester fascinated me and, as it was my first really dramatic role, also frightened me. However, Gregory's (Gregory Ratoff,director) kidding and clowning soon had me relaxed. He was fun, even when he got mad. I like him so much that even when he would roar in desperation, "Susan, you are the most steenking actress I've ever seen!" I'd collapse in laughter and not be hurt."....Susan Hayward.."The Role I Liked Best."....Saturday Evening Post, April 6th, 1946, p. 126.

It was a good'bad'role for her at that time I agree.It had a good face-off scene between Susan and Ingrid Bergman. I wonder, did Bergman ever play a villainous role ? It harks back to my mention a while back of how many stars were locked into a type of screen persona that they rarely deviated from, and consequently actresses like Susan, Linda Darnell and Gloria Swanson seemed to range the spectrum more freely.

I remember Henry Fonda being a 'nasty' in a western at one stage, Larry Olivier made a chilling villain in "Marathon Man" and even Gregory Peck was spectacularly evil and vile as Mengele in " The Boys From Brazil", but I don't think Bergman ( or James Stewart ?)ever played such a role in their careers.
Have I overlooked one here ??

Kerry

Hi Kerry...I'm not real familiar with Ingrid Bergman's or Jimmy Stewart's careers but I can't remember a role for either one that was a "bad guy/girl role."