Blonde Ice (1948)

Reporting the news for a top periodical, Claire Cummings (Leslie Brooks) believes she was made for better things than hammering out a living with her sports reporter boyfriend Les Burns (Robert Paige). She decides to marry up into wealth, but on her honeymoon, her new husband abandons her and goes back to Los Angeles.

First, he caught her kissing an ex beau. Then, he catches her writing a love letter to Les. Later that night, Claire charters a plane piloted by Blackie Talon (Russ Vincent) to travel back to Los Angeles. The next day, her husband Carl is found dead, presumably from a suicide. Claire stays at Mimi's. The police suspect murder and Claire deflects their suspicions by framing Les, for having motive and opportunity to do in his rival. We see over and over how Claire needs and spends money like crazy. Horse races. Claire continues to manipulate the emotions of Les to keep him helping her. When Blackie comes back into her life for blackmailing purposes, Claire dispatches him and cuddles up to successful politician Stanley Mason (James Whalen) for a ride to the top of the heap. Mason is running for Congress, and we hear him ordering lots of fancy drinks. When he discovers her getting close to Les, Mason confronts Claire, and the wedding is off. When Les discovers the depths of Claire's ruthlessness, he realizes it may cost him his own life. Later, Claire meets Dr. Klippinger, who psycho-analyzes her; there's a showdown. Claire is furious and tries to shoot Klippinger, but (SPOILERS) Claire offs herself with the gun.