... you can learn from::
Rain (1932)
Sadie: Music and a nip of liquor --that's what a rainy day is for, says I.
Today is generally agreed upon to be Joan Crawford's birthday but that iconic scamp changed the year she was born in several times, so we don't know if she was born in 1905, 1906, or 1908. I think we should all work under the assumption that the oldest one is the one, though. That seems a fairly safe bet! Anyway this is one of my favorite of Joan's early performances -- have you seen it? There's a really great quality blu-ray of it you can get if not -- it's a gorgeously filmed movie even besides Joan getting to play her speciality: a trampy trash hooker with a heart of iron, aka exactly who we should all aspire to be. Icon!
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1 comment:
I like the film and Joan works hard to make it memorable but it's not among my favorites. She campaigned assiduously to be cast in the film feeling that the prestige of the project would enhance her standing at Metro after her lauded performance in Grand Hotel (my favorite of her MGM work). But that bit her when the picture came out and tanked HARD losing what today would be roughly 4 million and her performance was roundly criticized though time has been kind to it. Fortunately for her being a contract star at the biggest studio she went right back to work and one of her follow-up films was the mega successful "Dancing Lady" with a string of other successes afterward and her lustre was restored.
While I adore all things Joan and she made many highly enjoyable films early in her career most of my favored performances of hers came after she departed MGM.
In celebration of her birthday (whichever one it is!) here's my top 15 favorite Joan performances.
Humoresque
Mildred Pierce
Grand Hotel
Goodbye, My Fancy
The Damned Don't Cry
The Women
Strange Cargo
Flamingo Road
Sudden Fear
Autumn Leaves
A Woman's Face
Queen Bee
Forsaking All Others
Johnny Guitar
The Best of Everything
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