At the turn of the nineteenth century, ambitious, social-climbing Becky Sharp leaves the snobbish English boarding school where she has been a charity case to live with her wealthy friend, Amelia Sedley. Although Amelia’s buffoonish brother Joseph woos her, he never proposes because, as Becky is told, his status-conscious father would disapprove of the match. Her pride wounded, Becky leaves the Sedleys’ and finds work as a governess at the estate of Sir Pitt Crawley. She soon wins the heart and hand of Crawley’s playboy son Rawdon, an officer in the British army. Not satisfied with her new wealth and station, however, Becky flaunts her charms and beauty among admiring male aristocrats until she gains acceptance into their exclusive continental circle. Becky’s indulgent world is shattered, however, when war breaks out during a lavish ball near Waterloo. Before Rawdon is sent off to fight Napoleon, a terrified Becky pledges her undivided love to him and later dedicates herself to helping him procure money to pay off a large gambling debt. While sacrificing her own honor, Becky agrees to allow the rich Lord Styne an evening alone with her in exchange for the needed money, but is caught with the lord by a suspicious Rawdon, who angrily rejects both her and the cash. Alone and penniless, Becky is reduced to singing in cabarets and living in a cheap boardinghouse until her overly pious brother-in-law, hearing of her plight, unwittingly gives her enough money to clear her debts and run off to India with the still devoted Joseph. More on Wikipedia or Mubi
Venice International Film Festival, 1935- Winner: Best Color Film
Academy Awards, 1936- Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Berlin International Film Festival, 1987- Official Selection
National Film Preservation Board, 2019- Winner: National Film Registry
Watch Becky Sharp (1935)
