Ada is Ada Dallas ,a young woman who earns a living as "a lady of the night " in a Memphis drinking establishment, where she meets the laconic and easy going Bo ,who is running for the governorship of a Southern state ,trading on a man of the people image and peppering his political rallies with songs. Ada is a determined and forceful woman who charms Bo and they soon marry to the disquiet of his political adviser, the manipulative Sylvester. Bo wins the election -thanks in no small measure to the less than ethical actions of Sylvester -and is installed in the gubnatorial mansion where he is treatd as a puppet by the entrenched interests ,all in thrall to Sylvester.When he makes a stand Bo is almost killed and it is Ada ,who as acting Governor sets out to reform the political system and attack its corruption. Susan Hayward as Ada dominates the movie giving a fine portrayal of a strong woman ,facing down the social snobbery of the ruling elite within the state and striving with might and main to overcome her past.It is a part tailor made for her and she plays it to the hilt.Martin is suitably self effacing as Bo and strong support comes from Ralph Meeker as a police chief on the take ,and from Martin Balsam as a P R man.Wilfred Hyde-White is miscast as Sylvester his pronounced British accent seemingly out of place. Its a bit reminiscent of the Frank Capra movies of the thirties in its take on political corruption and the ending is a little too pat . A solid 100 or so minutes and enjoyable for devotees of soap opera even so
Review of Ada
