I'm not sure about the acting criticisms, given that Stanwyck snagged a best actress nomination for this role.

Stanwyck is one of my favorite actresses of the Golden Age, but she did overdo at times. Back then, her performance in this was on par with how her peers graded a great performance, hence her Oscar nomination. IMO, she’s best in this film when she’s reminding everyone else around her that she’s rich and in charge. Overall, I was disappointed with the film. There’s a LOT of exposition and a lot to cover. At the end, I didn’t understand why she was still killed if the bad dudes were already arrested or being arrested. And who wanted her dead and why?