I think her role in "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane" depicts her as who she really was. She was a natural in that movie and I'm sure Christina and Christoffer (read his interview in the LA TIMES) would agree.
A terrific video from the pre-Mommie Dearest era. It's a shame that this great actress has been reduced to a camp joke by the film version of her daughter's exploitative memoir. Especially infuriating is Warner Brothers' insistence on maintaining that perception by involving the daughter in the featurettes included on the DVDs of Crawford's films. I hope that one day this myopic perception of Joan Crawford is laid to rest and she is returned to her rightful place in the pantheon of great stars.
When I think of Joan Crawford, the first thing that comes to mind is Mommie Dearest, the second is her work in horror films in the 1960's, then last, but not least is the charity work she did. So, even though I do believe she was an abusive, mean clean freak, I still think she did well for many organizations and I always believed she showed good manners in her correspondence and her remembering of birthdays, anniversaries, etc. And, yes, the stars of today are overpaid bimbos.
@chatran9999 Well its not that the stars of toady suck its that there aren't many that are passionate about acting look at Meryl Streep I would say she is like the Katherine Hepburn of this generation and Kate Winslet oh my goodness she is such a method actress she is so genuine in her films I would compare her acting style to Judy Garland's vulnerability and Liz Taylor's wit,Kate really reminds me of Joan Crawford and Liz Taylor the great actresses of the past.
people talk about jennifer aniston as some star? she plays the same ditsy bubbly dumb role in anything she does...angelina? not much better...i blame hollywood more than anything because they dont give strong woman roles anymore..thats not in..its all fluff..no substance..
@sprintbass Say what you want about Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston and the others but Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet are two great method actresses and they work hard at their craft Meryl was a fan of Bette Davis and talked to her back in the 80s. There are some modern great actors.
@MyJustified and so she should. Because she had fame, glory, money and an entertainment doesn't make her a saint. Like most in Hollywood, there are lots of closets full of skeletons! Get the glitter out of your eyes folks!
...what a great star...they don't make them like that any more...and you don't stay on top my being nice...you have to look out for your career and play the hard way...
I was a teen when Joan died and I remember the pathetic obituaries that the newspapers had and the terrible pic that accompanied these obituaries. The pics that were chosen for this news obituary are terrible too considering the thousands of images that could have been chosen. Bette Davis' daughter,"BD" wrote a tell all book and if a movie had been made out of it Bette's reputation would have been trashed just like Joan's was with,"Mommie Dearest." R.I.P. Joan you were my favorite actress !
@beyondtheforest In Joan's decades-long film oeuvre, we can see for ourselves what a great, versatile actress she was! But yes it is nice that Preminger complimented her acting. I had once read that one of Joan's directors (I forget who) once said that to play any scene, Joan had first to learn/ be told her dominant emotion -- and only then she'd charge into it, expressing only that emotion. But that generality reduces her onscreen range, vulnerability & subtlety, Sadie Thompson to Blanche.
I think her role in "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane" depicts her as who she really was. She was a natural in that movie and I'm sure Christina and Christoffer (read his interview in the LA TIMES) would agree.
independentMomma1 4 weeks ago
A terrific video from the pre-Mommie Dearest era. It's a shame that this great actress has been reduced to a camp joke by the film version of her daughter's exploitative memoir. Especially infuriating is Warner Brothers' insistence on maintaining that perception by involving the daughter in the featurettes included on the DVDs of Crawford's films. I hope that one day this myopic perception of Joan Crawford is laid to rest and she is returned to her rightful place in the pantheon of great stars.
EternalCurmudgeon 1 month ago
When I think of Joan Crawford, the first thing that comes to mind is Mommie Dearest, the second is her work in horror films in the 1960's, then last, but not least is the charity work she did. So, even though I do believe she was an abusive, mean clean freak, I still think she did well for many organizations and I always believed she showed good manners in her correspondence and her remembering of birthdays, anniversaries, etc. And, yes, the stars of today are overpaid bimbos.
MrRJMGREEN 2 months ago
I HATE THE STARS OF TODAY(ANGELINA, ANNISTON, REESE, ROBERTS,BULLOCK)AND I LOVE THE ACTRESS OF THE GOLDEN CINEMA.
chatran9999 3 months ago 7
@chatran9999 Well its not that the stars of toady suck its that there aren't many that are passionate about acting look at Meryl Streep I would say she is like the Katherine Hepburn of this generation and Kate Winslet oh my goodness she is such a method actress she is so genuine in her films I would compare her acting style to Judy Garland's vulnerability and Liz Taylor's wit,Kate really reminds me of Joan Crawford and Liz Taylor the great actresses of the past.
cinderelmo 1 month ago
people talk about jennifer aniston as some star? she plays the same ditsy bubbly dumb role in anything she does...angelina? not much better...i blame hollywood more than anything because they dont give strong woman roles anymore..thats not in..its all fluff..no substance..
sprintbass 4 months ago 6
@sprintbass Say what you want about Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston and the others but Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet are two great method actresses and they work hard at their craft Meryl was a fan of Bette Davis and talked to her back in the 80s. There are some modern great actors.
cinderelmo 1 month ago
all these years, I thought Joan had died in 1981...
she was a diva in her own way...
R.I.P. Joan!
brut2011 6 months ago 2
@brut2011 no she died in '77, but was killed in 1981 (mommie dearest).
tonybklyn 6 months ago 10
@tonybklyn what she died in77 not 1981
mariabbb1964 6 months ago
@mariabbb1964 Yes I know..read again DIED in 1977, but was character assassinated in 1981 when the book and movie came out. Get it?
tonybklyn 6 months ago 4
@tonybklyn OKAY THANKS
mariabbb1964 6 months ago
@tonybklyn How true, it's such a shame she's only remembered for that horrible book and vile movie
MyJustified 5 months ago 3
@MyJustified and so she should. Because she had fame, glory, money and an entertainment doesn't make her a saint. Like most in Hollywood, there are lots of closets full of skeletons! Get the glitter out of your eyes folks!
independentMomma1 4 weeks ago
...what a great star...they don't make them like that any more...and you don't stay on top my being nice...you have to look out for your career and play the hard way...
SleepWhenIamDead 9 months ago
I was a teen when Joan died and I remember the pathetic obituaries that the newspapers had and the terrible pic that accompanied these obituaries. The pics that were chosen for this news obituary are terrible too considering the thousands of images that could have been chosen. Bette Davis' daughter,"BD" wrote a tell all book and if a movie had been made out of it Bette's reputation would have been trashed just like Joan's was with,"Mommie Dearest." R.I.P. Joan you were my favorite actress !
darlinkula1 9 months ago
Are you kidding the best they could get when Joan died was a screenwriter? They should have had at least one major actor say something!
MrEricSevert 10 months ago
Thank you for posting this, I've never seen it.
19ccj65 1 year ago
Otto Preminger what a prick he was!
poshmum 1 year ago 2
@ccipollini1984 They say if you don't like Hitler, you're a bad person, too...
Should we respect that standard?
Crawford was a great star and I have many of her films on DVD, but I don't feel the need to rationalize that she was somehow a decent person.
scorpio888 1 year ago
thank you for posting and paying tribute to such a fine lady. may you rest in peace, Joan.
video77ab 1 year ago
God bless our Joany xx
tyjeffries 1 year ago
What a pro!
starstuff 1 year ago
There you have it folks. Otto Preminger: "Joan Crawford was an excellent actress."
beyondtheforest 1 year ago 2
@beyondtheforest In Joan's decades-long film oeuvre, we can see for ourselves what a great, versatile actress she was! But yes it is nice that Preminger complimented her acting. I had once read that one of Joan's directors (I forget who) once said that to play any scene, Joan had first to learn/ be told her dominant emotion -- and only then she'd charge into it, expressing only that emotion. But that generality reduces her onscreen range, vulnerability & subtlety, Sadie Thompson to Blanche.
JudgeJulieLit 1 year ago
great vid
hoi2000d 1 year ago 2