A Rage to Live

An adaptation of John O'Hara's novel starring Pleshette as a young, wealthy nymphomaniac who has numerous affairs with her mother's country club friends. When mom finds out about her daughter's promiscuity, she takes her on a trip to Nassau, but then suffers a fatal heart attack when Pleshette is caught in the sack with a waiter from the hotel's restaurant. Upon her return to the States, Pleshette meets and falls hard for Dillman, but he is too noble and good to jump in the hay with her. Eventually they marry, and Pleshette confesses her past indiscretions to Dillman, but he is sure that the purity of his love for her will stop her from wandering off to other men. This prediction lasts nearly three years until Pleshette seduces one of the construction workers making improvements on their home. Graves also meets Pleshette and becomes enamored, but she spurns his advances. Not wanting to ruin her marriage, she ends her affair with the construction worker. He retaliates by drinking too much and getting himself killed in a car wreck, the investigation of which brings the affair into the newspapers. Dillman is outraged and tells Pleshette that if she steps out of line once more, he will leave her. She behaves herself, but at a party the jealous wife of Graves announces that Pleshette and her husband have been carrying on (they haven't), and a disgusted Dillman leaves for good. The film received an Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design. (official distributor synopsis)