GeorgePeppardplaysahard-drivenindustrialistmorethanalittlereminiscentofHowardHughes.Whilehebuildsairplanes,directsmoviesandbreakshearts,hisfriendsandloverstrytoreachhishumanside,andfindthatitsanuphillbattle.Thefilmstitleisametaphorforself-promotingtycoonswhoperformquickfinancialtakeovers,imposedictatorialcontrolsforshort-termprofits,thenmoveontogreenerpastures.TheCarpetbaggersisthekindoftrashyclassicmostpeopleweretooembarrassedtoadmittheyenjoyedbackintheearly60s.ButthisHaroldRobbinsadaptationissocheerfullyvulgar,itshardnottohaveagoodtime-especiallygiventhethinlyveiledportraitofHowardHughesatitscenter.GeorgePeppardplaystheheel-hero,whofoundsanairlinecompanyinthe1920sandbuysamoviestudiointhe1930s,crushingfriendsandmistressesalongtheway.Thehighcheesefactorisaidedbythegood-timecast:CarrollBakerasPeppardshotstepmom,BobCummings(quitefunny)asacynicalagent,andElizabethAshley,whomarriedPeppard,inherdebut-uncharacteristically,asagoodgirl.OnesadnoteisAlanLadd,lookingandsoundingveryend-of-the-lineinhisfinalrole,asamansmancowboystar.ElmerBernsteinsswaggeringscorehelpsgoosetheactionalong.