Bride of Vengeance

Bride of Vengeance is a 1949 adventure film set in the Italian Renaissance era, directed by Mitchell Leisen. Mary Grant designed the film's costumes. It stars Paulette Goddard as Lucrezia Borgia, whose brother Cesare Borgia has her second husband Prince Bisceglie killed in order to marry her to Alfonso I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara (John Lund) whose well defended lands lay between the Borgia's Papal States and Venice, which Cesare wants to conquer. The story takes liberties with historical accuracy, as Cesare ensures Lucretia blames Alfonso for the murder and, encouraged by Cesare, she plots deadly revenge against her new husband. When the poison she gives him is counter-acted, and she realizes Cesare really killed her second husband, she returns to help Alfonso defend Ferrara against Cesare's army. Cesare retreats, killing Michellotto who wanted to continue the fight. In the final scene the couple drink to their love.