My Never-ending Obsession With The Mother Of All Movie Stars From The Golden Age of Hollywood - Joan Crawford!
When legendary movie star Joan Crawford passed away in 1977 at the age of 69 years old from a heart attack in her New York apartment millions of fans around the world thought her story had sadly come to an end. Little did they know that her fame would only get bigger throughout the years! Now, close to 50 years since her passing, the world is STILL captivated by the quintessential movie star from Hollywood’s golden age.
So if you’re a HUGE fan of Miss Crawford like I am (or want to be) below is a list of books and movies that you MUST read or watch (I personally own them all) to be crazed for Crawford like me! Long live the Queen of Hollywood! Wire hangers and all.
MOMMIE DEAREST BY CHRISTINA CRAWFORD (1978)
Joan’s return to the spotlight after her death began when her adoptive daughter Christina Crawford decided to write a “tell all” biography called “Mommie Dearest” that alleged that Joan had abused her children. Published in 1978, the book attracted much controversy for its portrayal of Joan as a cruel, unbalanced, and alcoholic mother, with Crawford’s other twin daughters, household staff, and family friends denouncing it as a sensationalized piece of fiction. Among them were Van Johnson, Katharine Hepburn, Cesar Romero, Bob Hope, Barbara Stanwyck, Sydney Guilaroff, Ann Blyth, Gary Gray, and Myrna Loy
Even Bette Davis, longtime rival of Crawford, denounced the book, stating, "I was not Miss Crawford’s biggest fan, but, wisecracks to the contrary, I did and still do respect her talent. What she did not deserve was that detestable book written by her daughter. I’ve forgotten her name. Horrible."
The last pages of Christina's book suggest that she was not about to let her mother have the "last word" by omitting her daughter from her will. Biographer Fred Laurence Guiles later reported that Christina began writing her book before Crawford's death. He has suggested that Joan's knowledge of its contents may have been a factor in her cutting her daughter from her will.
Christina later released a "20th Anniversary Edition", which included 100 pages of new material and omitted about 50 pages of original material. The second edition names specific individuals not named in the original book and focuses more on Christina's relationship with her mother from high school graduation until the 1970s. It also reveals what became of her brother and describes several incidents involving him.
Whether or not this book is fact or fiction it certainly resurrected Miss Crawford’s legendary career and catapulted her name into the pop culture stratosphere!
MOMMIE DEAREST: THE MOVIE, PARAMOUNT PICTURES (1981)
In 1981, Christina’s bestselling book was adapted into a movie, directed by Frank Perry and starring Academy Award-winning actress Faye Dunaway as Joan, Steve Forrest, Mara Hobel, and Diana Scarwid, with supporting performances from Xander Berkeley in his feature film debut along with Rutanya Alda and Jocelyn Brando. The executive producers were Christina's husband, David Koontz, and Terry O'Neill, Dunaway's then-boyfriend and soon-to-be husband.
Released in September 1981, "Mommie Dearest" swiftly garnered a reputation among audiences for its highly-charged performances and melodramatic style, leading Paramount to retool their marketing campaign, presenting the film as an unintentional comedy despite its dark subject matter. Despite receiving mostly negative reviews from critics, the film's perceived bizarre script and performances, particularly Dunaway's, have brought a cult following to the film.
Christina, who claims to have seen the film only once, gave negative feedback about it. For example, Christina has repeatedly stated that the film is highly inaccurate - that she never alleged to have been beaten by her mother; specifically, that she was never hit with a wire hanger, or that her mother chopped down a tree with an axe. Whatever Tina....
"Mommie Dearest" is a fun campy ride from beginning to end. And it has some very witty, bitchy lines, making it perfect material for drag queens (and those of us who secretly harbors one inside of us) young and old.
“Mommie Dearest” is available to purchase on DVD and Blu-ray through Paramount Pictures Home Video, while Amazon Prime and Paramount Plus both control the film's streaming format.
THE MOMMIE DEAREST DIARY: CAROL ANN TELLS ALL BY RUTANYA ALDA (2015)
In 2015, actress Rutanya Alda (Carol Ann) published a behind-the-scenes memoir, detailing the making of the film, "The Mommie Dearest Diary: Carol Ann Tells All". In it, she describes the difficulty of working with Dunaway, whose method approach to playing Joan seemed to absorb her and make her difficult for the cast and crew. In an interview with the Bay Area Reporter, Alda stated, "People despised Faye...because she was rude to people. Everyone was on pins and needles when she worked and relaxed when she didn't."
Alda described the process of acting opposite Dunaway very unfavorably by claiming that she manipulated the director to deprive the other actors of screen time and required the members of the cast to turn their backs when not in the shot so she would have no audience. She also claimed that Dunaway was "out of control" while filming the scene where Joan attacks Christina (Diana Scarwid) in front of a reporter (Jocelyn Brando) and Carol Ann has to pull her off. Alda was hit hard in the chest and knocked over several times, while Brando, who was scripted to help Alda pull Dunaway off of Scarwid, refused to get near her for fear of being injured.
To listen to my fascinating podcast interview with Ms Alda about her experience filming “Mommie Dearest” as well as stories from her “tell all” book scroll to the bottom of this page and click on the links to her two episodes - Episodes 61 & 62. You'll adore them!
BETTE AND JOAN: THE DIVINE FEUD BY SHAUN CONSIDINE (1989)
WAYYYYY before Ryan Murphy brought these dueling divas feud to our TV screens , New York writer Shaun Considine published a fascinating, vastly entertaining, joint biography focusing on the celebrated, long-term feud of Hollywood's two iconic screen legends, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Trust me, you will want to devour every since page of the “must read” book. It has delighted fans of both actresses for decades!
They were two of the most talented beauties Hollywood ever produced: the elegant Joan Crawford, a former chorus girl who shot through the ranks at MGM, and the brash, tempestuous Bette Davis, a Broadway star notorious for refusing to bow to the studio bosses. Their work together in the hit film "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" sowed the seeds for a mutual hatred that would consume their lives. As each fading star tried to outshine the other, lives were upended and reputations were destroyed. Glamorous, merciless, and cruel, their feud became the stuff of legends. Based on interviews the author conducted with both actresses and more than a decade of research, "Bette & Joan: The Divine Feud" shows the hard-drinking, hard-fighting duo at their best and worst.
In 2017, the book was republished by Graymalkin Media in paperback and as an e-book to coincide with the release of Murphy’s critically acclaimed FX anthology TV series “Feud: Bette And Joan”. In the updated version there are two new chapters and a sixteen-page photo insert.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?, WARNER BROS (1962)
Released in theaters in the United States on October 31, 1962, by Warner Bros. Pictures, “Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?” is the only time legendary movie stars Joan Crawford and Bette Davis appeared on screen together.
The film follows an aging former child star (Davis) tormenting her paraplegic sister (Crawford), a former film star, in an old Hollywood mansion. Directed by Robert Aldrich, the film was met with critical acclaim and was a box-office success. It was nominated for five Academy Awards and won one for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White, with Davis receiving her tenth and final nomination for Best Actress.
The alleged bitter Hollywood rivalry between the film's two stars, Davis and Crawford, was pivotal to the film's initial success. This in part led to the revitalization of the careers of the two stars. In the years after release, critics continued to acclaim the film for its psychologically driven black comedy, camp, and creation of the “hagsploitation” subgenre.
In 2012 Warner Home Video released 50th Anniversary Edition, Deluxe Limited Edition DigiBook in Blu-ray and two-disc DVD the extras include: documentary featurettes that sketch Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, commentary by drag specialists Charles Busch and John Epperson and Davis's wacky-campy appearance on "The Andy Williams Show". Or you can stream "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" by renting or purchasing the film on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Vudu.
FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN, FX NETWORK (2017)
The first season of the FX anthology television series “Feud”, titled “Bette and Joan” chronicled (over eight episodes) the well-documented rivalry between the Hollywood dueling divas Bette Davis and Joan Crawford during and after the production of their psychological horror thriller film "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" (1962). Leading the acclaimed cast are Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon -- portraying Crawford and Davis, respectively -- who have won three Oscars between them.
This docudrama from Emmy-winning producer Ryan Murphy (`American Horror Story') recalls how the ladies struggled to hang on to fame in the twilight of their careers as they faced such obstacles as ageism, sexism, and misogyny.
Critically acclaimed, with major praise for Lange and Sarandon's performances, the first season of "Feud" garnered several accolades. It received 18 nominations at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards and won two, including Outstanding Hairstyling and Makeup (Non-Prosthetic).
"FEUD: Bette and Joan" currently streams on Hulu.
MILDRED PIERCE, WARNER BROS (1945)
Legendary movie star Joan Crawford plays the title role in the classic 1945 film “Mildred Pierce”, directed by Michael Curtiz, costarring Jack Carson, and Zachary Scott, also featuring Eve Arden, Ann Blyth, and Bruce Bennett. Based on the 1941 novel by James M. Cain, this was Crawford's first starring role for Warner Bros., after leaving Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. This is a "must see" film for any Crawford fan!
When Mildred Pierce's (Crawford) wealthy husband leaves her for another woman, Mildred decides to raise her two daughters on her own. Despite Mildred's financial successes in the restaurant business, her oldest daughter, Veda (Ann Blyth), resents her mother for degrading their social status. Amid a police investigation after the death of her second husband (Zachary Scott), Mildred must evaluate her own freedom and her complicated relationship with her daughter.
"Mildred Pierce" is available on DVD and Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection for Regions 1 and 2 in a special edition which includes a host of special features, including "Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star", a 2002 feature-length documentary, a Q&A with actor Ann Blyth from 2006, a conversation on the film between critics Molly Haskell and Robert Polito, an excerpt from "The David Frost Show" featuring Joan Crawford, a booklet with an essay by critic Imogen Sara Smith, and more.
To listen to my fascinating conversation with actress RUTANYA ALDA - who played 'Carol Ann' in the film "Mommie Dearest" and wrote the book "The Mommy Dearest Diary: Carol Ann Tells All" - on my podcast click on the links below. Enjoy!
Episode 61 - HERE
Episode 62 - HERE
