Watching this movie, I couldn't help but wonder if Christina Crawford had watched it several times with a notepad and pencil in hand- or Faye Dunaway, as fiction can lead you to believe it's the truth.
Joan Crawford's character in this film is immensely dislikeable, evil and obsessive-compulsive. She cares nothing about anyone around her, and focuses her attentions on her house. As well, in a rare Crawford move, she doesn't even attempt to tie on a shred of sympathy (Roz Russell played Harriet with a much more sympathetic edge). Her hair is terrible, her shoulder pads are big, and her makeup is at its most masky. The movie mentions Harriet being made the way she was because of her father leaving her mother- but is torturing your cousin, keeping tabs on your husband, faking infertility and barreling into everyone else and what they do a good way to deal with that... unless she knows no other way?
Wendell Corey was a much less effective Walter Craig than John Boles. There was just something about him that didn't tick for me. If this movie had been Joan Crawford with John Boles, I would have given it a higher rating. This film was not as strong as some of Joan's earlier Warner Brothers films (think Mildred Pierce, Humoresque, and the 1947 Possessed), but it was far from her weakest.
I recommend this one, but I recommend watching both the Roz Russell one and this one. It doesn't really matter if you watch them in order or not.
Joan Crawford's character in this film is immensely dislikeable, evil and obsessive-compulsive. She cares nothing about anyone around her, and focuses her attentions on her house. As well, in a rare Crawford move, she doesn't even attempt to tie on a shred of sympathy (Roz Russell played Harriet with a much more sympathetic edge). Her hair is terrible, her shoulder pads are big, and her makeup is at its most masky. The movie mentions Harriet being made the way she was because of her father leaving her mother- but is torturing your cousin, keeping tabs on your husband, faking infertility and barreling into everyone else and what they do a good way to deal with that... unless she knows no other way?
Wendell Corey was a much less effective Walter Craig than John Boles. There was just something about him that didn't tick for me. If this movie had been Joan Crawford with John Boles, I would have given it a higher rating. This film was not as strong as some of Joan's earlier Warner Brothers films (think Mildred Pierce, Humoresque, and the 1947 Possessed), but it was far from her weakest.
I recommend this one, but I recommend watching both the Roz Russell one and this one. It doesn't really matter if you watch them in order or not.