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.
