GeorgePeppardplaysahard-drivenindustrialistmorethanalittlereminiscentofHowardHughes.　　Whilehebuildsairplanes,directsmoviesandbreakshearts,hisfriendsandloverstrytoreachhishumanside,andfindthatit'sanuphillbattle.　　Thefilm'stitleisametaphorforself-promotingtycoonswhoperformquickfinancialtakeovers,imposedictatorialcontrolsforshort-termprofits,thenmoveontogreenerpastures.　　TheCarpetbaggersisthekindoftrashyclassicmostpeopleweretooembarrassedtoadmittheyenjoyedbackintheearly60s.　　ButthisHaroldRobbinsadaptationissocheerfullyvulgar,it'shardnottohaveagoodtime-especiallygiventhethinlyveiledportraitofHowardHughesatitscenter.GeorgePeppardplaystheheel-hero,whofoundsanairlinecompanyinthe1920sandbuysamoviestudiointhe1930s,crushingfriendsandmistressesalongtheway.　　Thehighcheesefactorisaidedbythegood-timecast:CarrollBakerasPeppard'shotstepmom,BobCummings(quitefunny)asacynicalagent,andElizabethAshley,whomarriedPeppard,inherdebut-uncharacteristically,asagoodgirl.　　OnesadnoteisAlanLadd,lookingandsoundingveryend-of-the-lineinhisfinalrole,asaman'smancowboystar.　　ElmerBernstein'sswaggeringscorehelpsgoosetheactionalong.