Joan Crawford's life and film career are discussed here along with interviews with co-stars, directors, old flames and ofcourse, daughter Christina. Rare pictures and interviews make this an extra special treat which includes pictures of her father, Joan as a child and the last picture taken of her in April, 1977, one month before her death from cancer. Also included is a rare interview on a 1960's television talk show and guest appearances as well. A must-see for any Crawford fan! ***1/2
15 Reviews
Superbly Done
cookiela200128 May 2006
This is an engrossing and faultlessly researched documentary with excellent movie clips. (The montages are GREAT!) I especially liked seeing the bit where you can actually glimpse Crawford playing for a fleeting second with Norma Shearer as her double in LADY OF THE NIGHT in 1925, and the sound clip from her radio recording of Ibsen's classic drama A DOLL'S HOUSE. (It's intriguing that some of her contemporaries have said elsewhere she was surprisingly effective in the plays she mounted with husband Franchot Tone in their little home theater, making us wonder if she might have actually been able to pull off classic stage roles if she'd taken it further.)
I do have to take issue with this comment from the review below, though:
<< I noticed Christina seemed all too eager to bring forth the darker side of Joan -- how she forced the children to do the cleaning, the wire hanger incident, taking over her role in "The Secret Storm" and all I sense from Christina is an incessant need to repeat to the public how nasty Crawford was. The damage has been done already with the book and MOMMIE DEAREST, isn't it time to move on?...It's the only headache in the entire documentary >>
We don't know how much tape the producers shot with Christina Crawford or what else she was asked, all we know is what they finally chose to use. To say that Christina is "still" focusing on that aspect of Crawford's life and should "move on" is like saying that Cliff Robertson is "still" focusing on AUTUMN LEAVES and should do likewise.
When the 20th Anniversary edition of her memoir MOMMIE DEAREST was released, Christina gave many interviews in which she praised her mother's career and effective performances. Those professional issues have never been in dispute, though, and what Crawford's daughter has to offer that's unique is insight into what the star's home life was like at specific periods of time.
Again, this is an extremely well done documentary, giving an excellent overview of Joan Crawford's life.
I do have to take issue with this comment from the review below, though:
<< I noticed Christina seemed all too eager to bring forth the darker side of Joan -- how she forced the children to do the cleaning, the wire hanger incident, taking over her role in "The Secret Storm" and all I sense from Christina is an incessant need to repeat to the public how nasty Crawford was. The damage has been done already with the book and MOMMIE DEAREST, isn't it time to move on?...It's the only headache in the entire documentary >>
We don't know how much tape the producers shot with Christina Crawford or what else she was asked, all we know is what they finally chose to use. To say that Christina is "still" focusing on that aspect of Crawford's life and should "move on" is like saying that Cliff Robertson is "still" focusing on AUTUMN LEAVES and should do likewise.
When the 20th Anniversary edition of her memoir MOMMIE DEAREST was released, Christina gave many interviews in which she praised her mother's career and effective performances. Those professional issues have never been in dispute, though, and what Crawford's daughter has to offer that's unique is insight into what the star's home life was like at specific periods of time.
Again, this is an extremely well done documentary, giving an excellent overview of Joan Crawford's life.
Too good!
blanche-217 June 2005
This is a highly entertaining, fascinating, outrageous, and sad documentary about Joan Crawford. Say what you want about her, Crawford was an amazing woman who came from nothing and with loads of ambition pushed her way to the top. Twice after her career sank to the bottom, she was able to rebuild it. Vincent Sherman, her daughter Christina, Cliff Robertson, Betsy Palmer, Liz Smith and others held nothing back when talking about the star: the multiple affairs she had with directors, her treatment of her children and husbands, and the antics that went on during the filming of Baby Jane, which were mind-boggling. Also touched on were her alcoholism, which caused her problems in later life, and her miserable childhood, which was the cornerstone of all of her problems.
Crawford's only self-identification seems to have been that of a film star, and her self worth was tied to it as well. She was smart, hard-working, glamorous, and, with the exception of her daughter, those who knew her and appeared in this documentary admitted there was something likable and even vulnerable about her. Ultimately, though, her life played out like a bad B movie. You could see the end coming from a mile away.
Crawford's only self-identification seems to have been that of a film star, and her self worth was tied to it as well. She was smart, hard-working, glamorous, and, with the exception of her daughter, those who knew her and appeared in this documentary admitted there was something likable and even vulnerable about her. Ultimately, though, her life played out like a bad B movie. You could see the end coming from a mile away.
From Rags to Riches.
nycritic23 August 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Turner Classic Movies, the channel responsible of all films Classic, played this documentary on August 22, on their salute to Joan Crawford, and aptly sandwiched it between her worst movie at MGM, ABOVE SUSPICION, and her Oscar winning MILDRED PIERCE which has become to be regarded as a classic of soap-noir.
The documentary, narrated by Anjelica Huston and with commentaries by numerous actors and directors who worked with Crawford as well as some darker tidbits by (who else) Christina Crawford, brings forth what is essentially the exact thing Joan played on-screen: a rags-to-riches life, a Cinderella story, the story of the ingénue who evolves from playing bit parts (and double to Norma Shearer at the very start of her career) to become one of the most powerful screen presences of last century regardless of the material offered to her. Suffice it be to say that her beginnings were humble. That she never met her father until much later in life. That eventually she became estranged from her brother Hal LeSueur. That despite every possible obstacle thrown upon her from feeling like an outsider amongst Hollywood royalty to pressure from MGM who pushed her out into the cold, she managed to stay in the game long after many top stars and "rivals" Greta Garbo and the aforementioned Shearer had passed on into early retirement by moving to Warners and assuring her resurgence as an actress and a well-deserved Oscar for MILDRED PIERCE.
I find that the document in itself reveals quite a lot about Joan the person and from here on, Joan the Movie Star and Overall Big-Screen Persona. The comments from her co-stars and former directors are interestingly helpful in establishing how she faced acting in general while vary from pure praise (Cliff Robertson) to initial indifference turning into an apparent, reluctant admiration (Anita Louise), to open support (Diane Baker) when she was much older and alienated in a world/time which was much different than her early years in Hollywood. Everyone conceded that she brought something "intangible" to the table, an untouchable essence, even in her later years when it was clear that her career was long over and she was accepting parts in films like STRAIT-JACKET, I SAW WHAT YOU DID, BERSERK, and TROG. Co-workers from these films admit she played her parts as if she was still working on MILDRED PIERCE -- essentially saying she still had that which was considered "It;" the ability to transcend the mediocre (or at least, less than stellar) material. A shame Hollywood of the 60s stopped calling, but such were the times; while today many actresses keep busy, it's notable that these actresses start accepting smaller and smaller parts (one only has to see Anne Bancroft's career once the 90s came around: hardly a co-starring role in sight, all guest appearances, or the "small but pivotal role".). Joan, on the other hand, wouldn't have less than the title role, and sadly, parts aren't written with older women in mind.
Now, I can't judge what transpired between her and Christina, but I noticed Christina seemed all too eager to bring forth the darker side of Joan -- how she forced the children to do the cleaning, the wire hanger incident, taking over her role in "The Secret Storm" and all I sense from Christina is an incessant need to repeat to the public how nasty Crawford was. The damage has been done already with the book and MOMMIE DEAREST, isn't it time to move on? Wouldn't it have been best to talk about all this while she was still alive? It's the only headache in the entire documentary.
This one stumbling stone aside, JOAN CRAWFORD, THE ULTIMATE MOVIE STAR reveals a person who simply put, needed people, needed acceptance, and couldn't understand a life of quiet retirement. And while the sordid details of any actor/actress is public fodder, I find it better to focus on an objective source of information and put aside the sensationalism, and thankfully, this documentary is what MOMMIE DEAREST should have been and could not come at a better time, if it's twenty years too late, but late is better than never. It may not restore her name completely -- too much damage has been done and the scavenging of the monster MOMMIE DEAREST created has been lampooned to the death, most recently in Tyler Perry's DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN -- but at least it brings facts, not lurid details, to the forefront. And that's all that matters.
The documentary, narrated by Anjelica Huston and with commentaries by numerous actors and directors who worked with Crawford as well as some darker tidbits by (who else) Christina Crawford, brings forth what is essentially the exact thing Joan played on-screen: a rags-to-riches life, a Cinderella story, the story of the ingénue who evolves from playing bit parts (and double to Norma Shearer at the very start of her career) to become one of the most powerful screen presences of last century regardless of the material offered to her. Suffice it be to say that her beginnings were humble. That she never met her father until much later in life. That eventually she became estranged from her brother Hal LeSueur. That despite every possible obstacle thrown upon her from feeling like an outsider amongst Hollywood royalty to pressure from MGM who pushed her out into the cold, she managed to stay in the game long after many top stars and "rivals" Greta Garbo and the aforementioned Shearer had passed on into early retirement by moving to Warners and assuring her resurgence as an actress and a well-deserved Oscar for MILDRED PIERCE.
I find that the document in itself reveals quite a lot about Joan the person and from here on, Joan the Movie Star and Overall Big-Screen Persona. The comments from her co-stars and former directors are interestingly helpful in establishing how she faced acting in general while vary from pure praise (Cliff Robertson) to initial indifference turning into an apparent, reluctant admiration (Anita Louise), to open support (Diane Baker) when she was much older and alienated in a world/time which was much different than her early years in Hollywood. Everyone conceded that she brought something "intangible" to the table, an untouchable essence, even in her later years when it was clear that her career was long over and she was accepting parts in films like STRAIT-JACKET, I SAW WHAT YOU DID, BERSERK, and TROG. Co-workers from these films admit she played her parts as if she was still working on MILDRED PIERCE -- essentially saying she still had that which was considered "It;" the ability to transcend the mediocre (or at least, less than stellar) material. A shame Hollywood of the 60s stopped calling, but such were the times; while today many actresses keep busy, it's notable that these actresses start accepting smaller and smaller parts (one only has to see Anne Bancroft's career once the 90s came around: hardly a co-starring role in sight, all guest appearances, or the "small but pivotal role".). Joan, on the other hand, wouldn't have less than the title role, and sadly, parts aren't written with older women in mind.
Now, I can't judge what transpired between her and Christina, but I noticed Christina seemed all too eager to bring forth the darker side of Joan -- how she forced the children to do the cleaning, the wire hanger incident, taking over her role in "The Secret Storm" and all I sense from Christina is an incessant need to repeat to the public how nasty Crawford was. The damage has been done already with the book and MOMMIE DEAREST, isn't it time to move on? Wouldn't it have been best to talk about all this while she was still alive? It's the only headache in the entire documentary.
This one stumbling stone aside, JOAN CRAWFORD, THE ULTIMATE MOVIE STAR reveals a person who simply put, needed people, needed acceptance, and couldn't understand a life of quiet retirement. And while the sordid details of any actor/actress is public fodder, I find it better to focus on an objective source of information and put aside the sensationalism, and thankfully, this documentary is what MOMMIE DEAREST should have been and could not come at a better time, if it's twenty years too late, but late is better than never. It may not restore her name completely -- too much damage has been done and the scavenging of the monster MOMMIE DEAREST created has been lampooned to the death, most recently in Tyler Perry's DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN -- but at least it brings facts, not lurid details, to the forefront. And that's all that matters.
Wow---this is exceptional as you get the good and the bad...
planktonrules22 August 2011
I love classic Hollywood films of the golden era and not surprisingly I also love biographies of that talk about these stars. Unfortunately, most of them frankly leave a lot to be desired. They usually only talk about the good points of the celebrity or only discuss their films and as a result, you get a very one-dimensional view of the person. Occasionally, you also get some that are all dirty--and once again you only get a one-dimensional portrait. I was absolutely thrilled when I watched "Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star" because it managed to do something quite rare--balance the great talent with the human being. As a result, it's one of the best celebrity biographies I've seen.
Angelica Huston narrates this made for Turner Classic Movies film. It combines her nice voice with some lovely interviews, photos and film clips to talk about her life from birth to death. You get a discussion of her major films as well as her personal life--and this is where the film shines. While it does talk quite a bit about her abuse of her children and affairs (and there were many), it tried to explore WHY--what about her caused her to be so screwed up and out of place off-camera. And, it seemed less angry in doing so. So, despite many clips of Christina Crawford discussing her mom, it did not come off as a recapitulation of "Mommy, Dearest". Plus, it balanced this with genuine respect and admiration for her talents and tenacity. Together, all these factors create a rich tapestry--and make it a must-see of fans of the genre. See this one.
By the way, as Bette Davis and Joan Crawford had a bit of a rivalry, I should point out that the TCM biography of Crawford was superior to the one they produced on Davis. It was longer, more complete and more interesting--warts and all.
Angelica Huston narrates this made for Turner Classic Movies film. It combines her nice voice with some lovely interviews, photos and film clips to talk about her life from birth to death. You get a discussion of her major films as well as her personal life--and this is where the film shines. While it does talk quite a bit about her abuse of her children and affairs (and there were many), it tried to explore WHY--what about her caused her to be so screwed up and out of place off-camera. And, it seemed less angry in doing so. So, despite many clips of Christina Crawford discussing her mom, it did not come off as a recapitulation of "Mommy, Dearest". Plus, it balanced this with genuine respect and admiration for her talents and tenacity. Together, all these factors create a rich tapestry--and make it a must-see of fans of the genre. See this one.
By the way, as Bette Davis and Joan Crawford had a bit of a rivalry, I should point out that the TCM biography of Crawford was superior to the one they produced on Davis. It was longer, more complete and more interesting--warts and all.
Very entertaining and well made documentary
nickandrew31 August 2002
This is certainly one of the best documentaries I have seen on any movie star and on Joan Crawford to begin with. Not many have been done on her, especially one which includes a lot of detail about her life and interviews from many different people associated with her and her films (the best are Christina Crawford and OUR DANCING DAUGHTERS co-star Anita Page). Included are clips from nearly all of her films and many never before seen photographs. Check this out if you are a classic movie fan or a Crawford fan, for sure. TCM will likely re-air this in a few months.
The good, the bad and the ugly...everything you need to know about Joan Crawford...
Doylenf3 August 2007
JOAN CRAWFORD: THE ULTIMATE MOVIE STAR is far from being a glowing tribute to the film star, as most of these comments seem to suggest. It shows just how sad, how tragic her life really was behind all the glamorous facade of Hollywood phoniness.
Like Bette Davis, her personal life was a mess. Both of them had bad relationships with their fathers resulting in a lifelong distrust of men, which killed any chance for happy marriage relationships. Joan went about choosing men to marry based on her own insecurities as a woman from a dubious background who wanted to learn from the men she married and cultivate herself with knowledge she otherwise would not have.
We learn that her marriage to DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, JR. was an open marriage that lasted about four years; her marriage to FRANCHOT TONE was happy as long as they stayed in the Hollywood limelight and again she was educating herself because he was a worldly, sophisticated mate, but again the marriage fell apart because of infidelities in another open marriage; she had torrid romances with most of her leading men, including director VINCENT SHERMAN, always willing to talk about his affairs with the many actresses he directed.
Nor are the comments about her--not just those by Christina Crawford--on the positive side all the time. I'd say half and half. A word of praise followed by the "but she always had to be in control" kind of statement, from people who knew her, like LIZ SMITH, BETSY PALMER, CLIFF ROBERTSON, MARGARET O'BRIEN and others.
Far from being a paean to her glory as "the ultimate movie star", it's really more of a "warts and all" confessional that fans of Crawford seem to be in denial about. Her life off screen was full of venom and hateful feuds with just about every co-worker, all the while giving the viewers a few chuckles about how she slapped everyone in films because--well, "because I do that in all my films".
So you have to take the good with the bad, all the way through this documentary, which is essentially a tribute to Crawford's longevity as a name above the title film star. The only one who looks worse than Crawford is Bette Davis, whose cruelty during the aborted filming of HUSH...HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE reached new lows, even for Bette. Those two divas really hated each other.
It's definitely a monument to her longevity, but can't exactly be looked at as a glowing tribute to the actress or her thespian abilities. The kindest, most perceptive comments on the real Joan seem to come from Hollywood columnist BOB THOMAS.
Almost painful to watch are the clumsy dancing sequences showing how she made her start in early MGM films, just about the clunkiest exhibition of dancing ever performed on camera. She looks like a dancing windmill. It's a howl.
But, hey, it's the Joan Crawford we all remember from the '40s that really counts. She left a rich legacy of film noir/soap opera stuff that became legendary: MILDRED PIERCE, HUMORESQUE, POSSESSED and some of the lesser Warner films (FLAMINGO ROAD, THE DAMNED DON'T CRY) in which she came into her own.
But behind all that glory, it's really an awfully sad success story when it comes right down to it.
Trivia note: I loved the perceptive comment by BETSY PALMER who admits feeling sorry for children in any marriage involving actors/actresses. "Beware. We're a different species," she says with a mischievous grin.
Like Bette Davis, her personal life was a mess. Both of them had bad relationships with their fathers resulting in a lifelong distrust of men, which killed any chance for happy marriage relationships. Joan went about choosing men to marry based on her own insecurities as a woman from a dubious background who wanted to learn from the men she married and cultivate herself with knowledge she otherwise would not have.
We learn that her marriage to DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, JR. was an open marriage that lasted about four years; her marriage to FRANCHOT TONE was happy as long as they stayed in the Hollywood limelight and again she was educating herself because he was a worldly, sophisticated mate, but again the marriage fell apart because of infidelities in another open marriage; she had torrid romances with most of her leading men, including director VINCENT SHERMAN, always willing to talk about his affairs with the many actresses he directed.
Nor are the comments about her--not just those by Christina Crawford--on the positive side all the time. I'd say half and half. A word of praise followed by the "but she always had to be in control" kind of statement, from people who knew her, like LIZ SMITH, BETSY PALMER, CLIFF ROBERTSON, MARGARET O'BRIEN and others.
Far from being a paean to her glory as "the ultimate movie star", it's really more of a "warts and all" confessional that fans of Crawford seem to be in denial about. Her life off screen was full of venom and hateful feuds with just about every co-worker, all the while giving the viewers a few chuckles about how she slapped everyone in films because--well, "because I do that in all my films".
So you have to take the good with the bad, all the way through this documentary, which is essentially a tribute to Crawford's longevity as a name above the title film star. The only one who looks worse than Crawford is Bette Davis, whose cruelty during the aborted filming of HUSH...HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE reached new lows, even for Bette. Those two divas really hated each other.
It's definitely a monument to her longevity, but can't exactly be looked at as a glowing tribute to the actress or her thespian abilities. The kindest, most perceptive comments on the real Joan seem to come from Hollywood columnist BOB THOMAS.
Almost painful to watch are the clumsy dancing sequences showing how she made her start in early MGM films, just about the clunkiest exhibition of dancing ever performed on camera. She looks like a dancing windmill. It's a howl.
But, hey, it's the Joan Crawford we all remember from the '40s that really counts. She left a rich legacy of film noir/soap opera stuff that became legendary: MILDRED PIERCE, HUMORESQUE, POSSESSED and some of the lesser Warner films (FLAMINGO ROAD, THE DAMNED DON'T CRY) in which she came into her own.
But behind all that glory, it's really an awfully sad success story when it comes right down to it.
Trivia note: I loved the perceptive comment by BETSY PALMER who admits feeling sorry for children in any marriage involving actors/actresses. "Beware. We're a different species," she says with a mischievous grin.
The last film goddess
jotix10023 August 2005
Lucille La Seuer came out of a poor home. Abandoned by her father and raised by a mother that had to struggle to make ends meet, Lucille saw a way out of her dreary life by becoming a dancer with dreams for going far in show business. Little did she know she would go on to become one of America's movie icons in a career that expanded more than fifty years after she became Joan Crawford, a screen goddess without rival.
"Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Film Star", conceived and directed by Peter Fitzgerald, follows Ms. Crawford's life in detail. We are given direct accounts by people that knew her and are still around to tell us. The documentary is narrated by Angelica Huston.
Joan Crawford was a woman larger than life. As an ambitious woman, she knew from the beginning she had to create her own persona in order to carve a niche in the movie industry. Louis B. Mayer was the man who saw her possibilities and quickly hired her to be part of the MGM family.
Ms. Crawford's ambition was boundless. She knew that by marrying Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was her entry into the inner sanctum of most of Hollywood's best people's homes and parties. She transformed herself into the creature one saw in her films. In order to appear more respectable, she adopted a boy and a girl. That girl being Christina, who went to tell it all in her famous book about her adopted mother, "Mommie Dearest", in which one learns about another facet of her character. In fact, Christina talks openly about her adoptive mother quite openly. Ms. Crawford went to adopt three other children, of whom one didn't hear much about.
The interviews with some of the people that knew her well proved to be one of the most interesting side to the documentary. Vincen Sherman, the director who worked with her in several movies, is candid about the woman and her human side. Bob Thomas shows an insight about the star. Also we see testimonies by Betsy Palmer, Anna Lee, Diane Baker, Dickie Moore, Ben Cooper, Cliff Robertson, among others that give us the picture of the woman who invented herself and went to become a dominant figure in the American cinema.
Thanks to Peter Fitzgerald for making it possible.
"Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Film Star", conceived and directed by Peter Fitzgerald, follows Ms. Crawford's life in detail. We are given direct accounts by people that knew her and are still around to tell us. The documentary is narrated by Angelica Huston.
Joan Crawford was a woman larger than life. As an ambitious woman, she knew from the beginning she had to create her own persona in order to carve a niche in the movie industry. Louis B. Mayer was the man who saw her possibilities and quickly hired her to be part of the MGM family.
Ms. Crawford's ambition was boundless. She knew that by marrying Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was her entry into the inner sanctum of most of Hollywood's best people's homes and parties. She transformed herself into the creature one saw in her films. In order to appear more respectable, she adopted a boy and a girl. That girl being Christina, who went to tell it all in her famous book about her adopted mother, "Mommie Dearest", in which one learns about another facet of her character. In fact, Christina talks openly about her adoptive mother quite openly. Ms. Crawford went to adopt three other children, of whom one didn't hear much about.
The interviews with some of the people that knew her well proved to be one of the most interesting side to the documentary. Vincen Sherman, the director who worked with her in several movies, is candid about the woman and her human side. Bob Thomas shows an insight about the star. Also we see testimonies by Betsy Palmer, Anna Lee, Diane Baker, Dickie Moore, Ben Cooper, Cliff Robertson, among others that give us the picture of the woman who invented herself and went to become a dominant figure in the American cinema.
Thanks to Peter Fitzgerald for making it possible.
She broke the mold.
billpappas-125 April 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I can appreciate both Joan Crawford's intense drive over a very long career and her messy personal life as being totally believable in one person. I love watching her 'act' in any movie, whether it's 'Mildred Pierce', 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane', 'The Damned Don't Cry' or even 'Trog'. Her every move, every look, every word wasn't left to chance for her.
She had something captivating although, except for some of her early 'looks' I didn't think she was as beautiful as she was portrayed in her films. She had a skinny, boyish figure, not at all feminine. Surprisingly, she became a handsome woman in her later years when the effects of alcohol weren't too apparent.
One thing rarely, if ever mentioned, is Crawford's voice. She could sound witchy in one scene and lower it to sound worldly and wise in the next. And those eyes. You knew exactly what she was thinking. She was 'living' those parts she played.
In her interview with the young British guy, I was impressed when she acknowledged that everything she learned in life she got from the movie business. She said that if she didn't know a word in a script, she would look it up. Surprising honesty for a 'big star'.
To me, it was both sad and admittedly entertaining that her alcoholism affected her later years. She still had a hard work ethic and I couldn't understand why she couldn't find roles for an older actress as some others her age did, like Olivia de Haviland and Joan Fontaine, etc. I guess her problem was that she wanted to maintain that 'Joan Crawford' persona from an earlier time and it was the 1960s, after all.
I would have loved meeting her and talking about 'her' and her career even though I can believe that she might have been a real horror as a mother. She was hard on herself and I assume just as hard on her children. After 'Mommie Dearest' came out, I was eating some weird dish made with tofu and said "I think this is the kind of stuff Joan Crawford ate". He deadpanned, "She probably made her kids eat it".
She had something captivating although, except for some of her early 'looks' I didn't think she was as beautiful as she was portrayed in her films. She had a skinny, boyish figure, not at all feminine. Surprisingly, she became a handsome woman in her later years when the effects of alcohol weren't too apparent.
One thing rarely, if ever mentioned, is Crawford's voice. She could sound witchy in one scene and lower it to sound worldly and wise in the next. And those eyes. You knew exactly what she was thinking. She was 'living' those parts she played.
In her interview with the young British guy, I was impressed when she acknowledged that everything she learned in life she got from the movie business. She said that if she didn't know a word in a script, she would look it up. Surprising honesty for a 'big star'.
To me, it was both sad and admittedly entertaining that her alcoholism affected her later years. She still had a hard work ethic and I couldn't understand why she couldn't find roles for an older actress as some others her age did, like Olivia de Haviland and Joan Fontaine, etc. I guess her problem was that she wanted to maintain that 'Joan Crawford' persona from an earlier time and it was the 1960s, after all.
I would have loved meeting her and talking about 'her' and her career even though I can believe that she might have been a real horror as a mother. She was hard on herself and I assume just as hard on her children. After 'Mommie Dearest' came out, I was eating some weird dish made with tofu and said "I think this is the kind of stuff Joan Crawford ate". He deadpanned, "She probably made her kids eat it".
One of the best
nickenchuggets25 April 2023
Lucille Fay LeSueur was born in March 1906, had a troubled childhood, and never really knew her biological father. Despite these things, she was fated to become one of the most iconic actresses of the golden age of cinema: Joan Crawford. This documentary, originally aired on TCM in 2002, goes over her life, both on and off the screen, how she had a surprising amount of films that were considered awful, and how she did not stop being part of the movie business even when things didn't look good for her. Joan started off dancing in revues, which eventually got her noticed by Hollywood producers looking for fresh talent. Late in 1924, she signed a contract with MGM and had her first role in the film Lady of the Night the following year. In it, she still has her birth name and only appears as a double for Norma Shearer; basically the queen of MGM and wife of production chief Irving Thalberg. Joan got on his bad side a few times, and came to see Norma as a rival. She also co-starred with silent film legend Lon Chaney in The Unknown, playing his assistant in a carnival while Chaney works as a performer who apparently has no arms. Joan felt than maybe her marriage to Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Would make her be seen more seriously, but she didn't hit critical acclaim until the release of Our Dancing Daughters in 1928, after which she got paired up with Clark Gable a few times. By the early 30s, she was up there with Jean Harlow, Norma and Greta Garbo as one of MGM's leading ladies. In the pre-code era, she was cast in Grand Hotel, the first movie to feature a cast made up entirely of stars. Also included were Garbo, both the Barrymore brothers, and Wallace Beery. However, things slowly began to change. By the late 30s, her films were still regarded well, but her place at the box office slipped dramatically for no discernible reason. In an effort to get her fame back on track, MGM cast her in The Bride Wore Red, opposite her real life husband at the time, Franchot Tone. The movie bombed. Mannequin featuring her and Spencer Tracy didn't fare much better. Soon, Joan was said to have the ability to turn any movie she appeared in into trash. Joan is then told she's physically incapable of having children, so she adopts a daughter in 1940 from an agency (she was found mentally unfit to be a mother because of her drinking). Christina Crawford, originally named Joan, maintains the view that her mother was abusive to this day. Throughout much of the Second World War, Crawford worked at the Hollywood Canteen, a place where actual soldiers would congregate and be entertained by movie stars. It was hosted by none other than Bette Davis, who devoted a large part of her life to knocking Joan down a peg or two. By now, Joan had voluntarily asked her MGM contract to be terminated, and shortly after signing with Warner Brothers, she starred in one of the best movies ever made: 1945's Mildred Pierce. Ironically, Bette Davis was who the studio had in mind for the title character, but she turned it down. Because of this decision on Davis' part, Joan had the opportunity to shine in what I consider the peak of noir. The success of the movie revived her stardom and for the rest of the 40s, she continued to be cast in good films. However, by 1952, she appeared in This Woman is Dangerous, which she felt was the worst movie she ever did up until then. She could sense Warner was getting bored with her as the scripts they were giving her weren't that strong, so she left that studio as well. Luckily, she did end up winning an Oscar for Mildred Pierce but didn't attend the ceremony. Joan's life took a turn for the bizarre when in 1955, she married Al Steele, president of Pepsi. Because of this, she was allowed to attend board meetings without anyone saying anything, but he died unexpectedly 4 years later. Meanwhile, Bette Davis had not forgotten her hatred of Joan. While the latter was busy starring in a slew of well received films from the mid 40s on, Davis was having the opposite experience with her pictures concurrently. In 1962, the event which shocked the entire film industry came when Joan and Bette were cast together in the same movie, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? In it, Joan is a disabled former movie star bound to a wheelchair and lives in constant fear of her sadistic sister played by Davis. The movie makes it seem that Bette really hated her, but she did. During one scene, Bette kicks her on the floor after she attempts calling her doctor, and Joan had to get two stitches in her head. Even worse, Davis was nominated for best actress and Crawford wasn't. This film was to be Crawford's last hit, as her career once again floundered and she began to take part in some pretty terrible horror movies, most notably Strait Jacket and Trog, the latter being the last (and worst) movie she ever did. When a young Steven Spielberg worked with her in the pilot episode for Rod Serling's Night Gallery, she was insulted that someone would send a novice to direct a queen like her. By the early 70s, the writing was on the wall for Crawford's career. She last appeared in a public space in 1974 at a Manhattan party and thereafter confined herself to an apartment. She died in May 1977 of a heart attack, and allegedly said "Don't you dare ask God to help me" when she heard her caretaker praying next to her. Even her last words epitomized noir. Overall, this documentary was well done and should be watched by anyone who takes an interest in old movies or those involved with them. We'll never see someone like Joan again, and while her image is no doubt tainted by the allegations of her being a horrible parent, I won't get into that since it kind of discredits everything else she did. The point is that Joan made some films that will never be replicated, and decades from now, people will still probably hear about their influence.
Great clips, Disrespectful of Ms. Crawford
Kay77719 April 2023
Joan Crawford was a phenomenon, a brilliant actress and a true movie STAR. She was also a strong character, and strong characters have both fans and foes. She had both.
I love that she did things her way. As one of the guests said, "She wouldn't be directed." She didn't NEED to be directed, she had great instincts.
The info re: her movies and the clips were fun to watch, but it is almost as though the producers were looking to produce a hatchet piece.
Considering what a major movie star and fine actress she was, I was disappointed that her resentful daughter got so much air time to voice allegations that could not be proven or disproven. Some of the stories the men told were better left untold - if they were true, also. Joan deserved better than unsubstantiated rumors treated as fact.
TCM blew it on this one, as far as I am concerned.
I love that she did things her way. As one of the guests said, "She wouldn't be directed." She didn't NEED to be directed, she had great instincts.
The info re: her movies and the clips were fun to watch, but it is almost as though the producers were looking to produce a hatchet piece.
Considering what a major movie star and fine actress she was, I was disappointed that her resentful daughter got so much air time to voice allegations that could not be proven or disproven. Some of the stories the men told were better left untold - if they were true, also. Joan deserved better than unsubstantiated rumors treated as fact.
TCM blew it on this one, as far as I am concerned.
Surprising Documentary!
marcin_kukuczka29 April 2012
Warning: Spoilers
"I think Hollywood is the most depressing thing in the world now" (Joan Crawford)
Not being well acquainted with the cinematic phenomenon of Joan Crawford and her career that highlighted the golden years of MGM, Warner Bros, and other independent studios, this documentary appears to be a lovely surprise for both her fans and people who still discover her (better late than never). Attached as a bonus to the DVD with her Oscar achievement, MILDRED PIERCE, the documentary insightfully develops her own psychology hidden behind a variety of performances. Both Crawford's biographers, including Bob Thomas, and her adopted daughter Christina Crawford provide an almost 'claustrophobic' zoom of Ms Crawford's motives, dreams, nice surprises and disappointments.
Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, we get an image of a woman who experienced a journey from rags to riches. Her talent was not enough when a timid young dancer with difficult family background came to the studio as 'nobody' (with reference to Anita Page's words). Soon, however, great CRAWFORD was created, the 'ultimate Cinderella star' and her magnetic, symbolic, almost iconic 'lips' become an object of recognition along with the premiere of LETTY LYNTON (1932). Soon, she was acquainted with the 'kings' of the time like John Gilbert, Irving Thalberg, Clark Gable and had one dream that, unfortunately, never came true - a dream to play at least one single scene with the queen of MGM, Garbo. As hardly any other documentary, this one supplies us with the true wings of what 'coaching somebody's career,' the studio system and a celebrity are all about.
Secondly, the documentary does justice to Joan Crawford as a personality, a deeply human personality of a 1930s' liberated American woman. What I mean here is that we do not encounter a great movie star (which could falsely be indicated by the title itself), not even her relations with people that stepped into her privacy, her marriages that were deeply influenced by the 'first love of any girl - the father' but foremost, the gratitude she had in her heart. She was grateful to all the people in the studio and, probably even more, to all her fans for what she had achieved. She knew she would have nothing, mean nothing, strive for nothing if it had not been for them. This was not the case with all movie stars but that was something characteristic of Joan Crawford. She was loyal to her fans and fans were loyal to her...What would an artist mean if he/she did not have audiences? Nothing, actually, and she understood that 'dependence.'
Thirdly, her career is depicted in an interesting manner by interviewing various people who really have something to say about the movies and her personal, extraordinary contribution to the medium. In some cases of celebrity documentaries, you may get an impression that the major goal of the people interviewed is idealizing, which thankfully does not happen here. Vincent Sherman makes a constructive comment upon their mutual hobby and Joan's constant search for approval, Charles Busch observes her determination, Liz Smith recalls a touching Christmas time with the Crawfords (which highlights the star's philanthropic aims expressed also in her visits to the troops' canteen). Meanwhile, some remarks are made about the way she got on with other celebrities, including her leading man Clark Gable and her rival Bette Davis (consider the unforgettable and violent incident while shooting WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?). Her phobias, problems (alcoholism) and exaggerations (cleanliness) are presented tastefully and, thank goodness, without the ever present sensation. There is also a considerable time dedicated to her first movie at Warner Bros, considered by many of the film scholars as her very best achievement, THE MILDRED PIERCE for which she got an Oscar.
Finally, the very last moments of the documentary reveal some truth hidden behind the make-up of a star, any star. A touching bitterness she dares express with the words I have decided to mention at the beginning of my review and moving final words of a deceasing woman who seems to lost the battle with harsh fate, who once caught the attention of the public eye as Joan Crawford, a 'perfect picture of a movie star' (as director George Cukor memorably stated).
A helpful documentary as another piece of mosaic to many tributes to those who made their unforgettable contributions to cinema history! Highly recommended before you decide to see some of Joan Crawford's best movies!
Not being well acquainted with the cinematic phenomenon of Joan Crawford and her career that highlighted the golden years of MGM, Warner Bros, and other independent studios, this documentary appears to be a lovely surprise for both her fans and people who still discover her (better late than never). Attached as a bonus to the DVD with her Oscar achievement, MILDRED PIERCE, the documentary insightfully develops her own psychology hidden behind a variety of performances. Both Crawford's biographers, including Bob Thomas, and her adopted daughter Christina Crawford provide an almost 'claustrophobic' zoom of Ms Crawford's motives, dreams, nice surprises and disappointments.
Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, we get an image of a woman who experienced a journey from rags to riches. Her talent was not enough when a timid young dancer with difficult family background came to the studio as 'nobody' (with reference to Anita Page's words). Soon, however, great CRAWFORD was created, the 'ultimate Cinderella star' and her magnetic, symbolic, almost iconic 'lips' become an object of recognition along with the premiere of LETTY LYNTON (1932). Soon, she was acquainted with the 'kings' of the time like John Gilbert, Irving Thalberg, Clark Gable and had one dream that, unfortunately, never came true - a dream to play at least one single scene with the queen of MGM, Garbo. As hardly any other documentary, this one supplies us with the true wings of what 'coaching somebody's career,' the studio system and a celebrity are all about.
Secondly, the documentary does justice to Joan Crawford as a personality, a deeply human personality of a 1930s' liberated American woman. What I mean here is that we do not encounter a great movie star (which could falsely be indicated by the title itself), not even her relations with people that stepped into her privacy, her marriages that were deeply influenced by the 'first love of any girl - the father' but foremost, the gratitude she had in her heart. She was grateful to all the people in the studio and, probably even more, to all her fans for what she had achieved. She knew she would have nothing, mean nothing, strive for nothing if it had not been for them. This was not the case with all movie stars but that was something characteristic of Joan Crawford. She was loyal to her fans and fans were loyal to her...What would an artist mean if he/she did not have audiences? Nothing, actually, and she understood that 'dependence.'
Thirdly, her career is depicted in an interesting manner by interviewing various people who really have something to say about the movies and her personal, extraordinary contribution to the medium. In some cases of celebrity documentaries, you may get an impression that the major goal of the people interviewed is idealizing, which thankfully does not happen here. Vincent Sherman makes a constructive comment upon their mutual hobby and Joan's constant search for approval, Charles Busch observes her determination, Liz Smith recalls a touching Christmas time with the Crawfords (which highlights the star's philanthropic aims expressed also in her visits to the troops' canteen). Meanwhile, some remarks are made about the way she got on with other celebrities, including her leading man Clark Gable and her rival Bette Davis (consider the unforgettable and violent incident while shooting WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?). Her phobias, problems (alcoholism) and exaggerations (cleanliness) are presented tastefully and, thank goodness, without the ever present sensation. There is also a considerable time dedicated to her first movie at Warner Bros, considered by many of the film scholars as her very best achievement, THE MILDRED PIERCE for which she got an Oscar.
Finally, the very last moments of the documentary reveal some truth hidden behind the make-up of a star, any star. A touching bitterness she dares express with the words I have decided to mention at the beginning of my review and moving final words of a deceasing woman who seems to lost the battle with harsh fate, who once caught the attention of the public eye as Joan Crawford, a 'perfect picture of a movie star' (as director George Cukor memorably stated).
A helpful documentary as another piece of mosaic to many tributes to those who made their unforgettable contributions to cinema history! Highly recommended before you decide to see some of Joan Crawford's best movies!
joan crawford
mossgrymk6 May 2023
My first thought upon finishing this post "Mommie Dearest" bio/doc of Ms. Crawford was, "Man, could this gal have used the services of a good shrink!" My second thought was, "She sure was gorgeous". Third was, "And sexy too". Last musing was, "And a darn good actress." And therein lies the main problem with this film, for me. There simply was not enough about her work. Specifically, the films. And what there is tends toward the superficial and unbalanced. I mean, many of her good later ones, like "Autumn Leaves", "Humoresque", "Daisy Kenyon" and "Flamingo Road", are glossed over or omitted while twice the amount of time is devoted to the campy "Baby Jane" as is given to "Mildred Pierce", by far her finest piece of acting and arguably one of the top one hundred Hollywood films of the twentieth century. And the argument that greater analysis of Crawford's movies would make this film excessively long does not wash since it's only eighty seven minutes, as is.
Still, I'd be lying if I wrote that I was bored while watching. Ms. Crawford was just too interesting and contradictory a person for ennui to set in. And this doc captures all her various permutations, including neurotic, diva, hellcat, seductress, shrewd businesswoman, abusive mom and great acting talent. If only it had had delved more into the last. Give it a B minus.
Still, I'd be lying if I wrote that I was bored while watching. Ms. Crawford was just too interesting and contradictory a person for ennui to set in. And this doc captures all her various permutations, including neurotic, diva, hellcat, seductress, shrewd businesswoman, abusive mom and great acting talent. If only it had had delved more into the last. Give it a B minus.
Joan Crawford: Hollywood Royalty
fosse22522 August 2005
Turner Classics played "Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star" last night during their salute to Joan Crawford day. It was very well written, and the personal interviews with past co-stars and friends was also lovely. I also liked the fact that the biography didn't cut out all her work as a chorus girl in the silent movies, which many programs often do. The only problem that I had with this program was that they included comments from Joan's daughter, Christina Crawford. Christina Crawford made her mother a cruel joke after writing that sub-standard book, "Mommie Dearest." To include her in a show where everyone else was praising Joan Crawford for the tremendous talent that she was and her ability to move up from chorus girl to leading lady parts, is an insult to Joan. Christina Crawford made a name for herself by trashing her mother; she doesn't deserve to be involved in anything.
Not Guilty
toyguy-3151912 August 2021
This was an excellent informative documentary about the hardest working true star of Hollywood except that they allowed that ingrate Christina to be a part of it.
Joan Crawford had to struggle and adapt to make it to the top. I could write an anthology of what my personal opinion is but watch this documentary and discard the Mommie Dearest garbage and tabloid trash. Her first adopted child who possessed no talent or beauty like that of Joan was in my opinion a jealous, devious, trouble maker from the time she could figure out who her generous adoptive mother was and what she thought she, the daughter, was entitled too. If you look back at Joan Crawford's movies and the characters she played, you can see where a certain daughter got her inspiration for writing such a fictitious, scandalous piece of garbage. If you look at a certain adoptive daughters behavior that spilled over into manipulating her younger adoptive brother into committing embarrising and criminal acts for Joan, you can see why they were disinherated in the will. I enjoyed this documentary for the archival footage, the factual information and the truthfulness of a great lady who never sat back and rested on laurels from years gone by. However, every time that unappreciative adopted old brat of a daughter comes on the screen I cringe.
P. S., You don't leave clothes on wire hangers because they will mis shape the shoulders and are prone to rust rapidly particularly back in the 40's. I would love to see an edited version of this documentary minus one participant, Daughter Nastiest.
Joan Crawford had to struggle and adapt to make it to the top. I could write an anthology of what my personal opinion is but watch this documentary and discard the Mommie Dearest garbage and tabloid trash. Her first adopted child who possessed no talent or beauty like that of Joan was in my opinion a jealous, devious, trouble maker from the time she could figure out who her generous adoptive mother was and what she thought she, the daughter, was entitled too. If you look back at Joan Crawford's movies and the characters she played, you can see where a certain daughter got her inspiration for writing such a fictitious, scandalous piece of garbage. If you look at a certain adoptive daughters behavior that spilled over into manipulating her younger adoptive brother into committing embarrising and criminal acts for Joan, you can see why they were disinherated in the will. I enjoyed this documentary for the archival footage, the factual information and the truthfulness of a great lady who never sat back and rested on laurels from years gone by. However, every time that unappreciative adopted old brat of a daughter comes on the screen I cringe.
P. S., You don't leave clothes on wire hangers because they will mis shape the shoulders and are prone to rust rapidly particularly back in the 40's. I would love to see an edited version of this documentary minus one participant, Daughter Nastiest.
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