Joan Crawford (March 23, 1905 – May 10, 1977)

[Surly]

Today is the birthday of Joan Crawford, star of Mildred Pierce (pictured), Possessed, The Damned Don't Cry and Sudden Fear.

[Steve-O]

Like her or not you have to admit, she was a major presence in noir:

[Steve-O]

Possessed

[Steve-O]

Mildred Pierce

[Steve-O]

Above Suspicion

[Steve-O]

The Damned Don't Cry

[noirguru]

Two noir movies of Joan that are underrated, This Woman Is Dangerous (1952); Female on the Beach (1955).

[noirguru]

Two noir movies of Joan that are underrated, This Woman Is Dangerous (1952); Female on the Beach (1955).

I forgot to mention another underrated noir of Ms Crawford, Flamingo Road (1949).

[Steve-O]

This Woman is Dangerous (trailer smells of cheese)

[Steve-O]

Flamingo Road

[Steve-O]

Joan Crawford introduces her noirs... I have no idea where this is from but it's money.

[Steve-O]

Humoresque

[Nauga]

She was quite the iconic 20s vamp, as well.



Not bad as a blonde bombshell.

Turns out, there was life before shoulder pads and lip liner!

[Surly]

She was quite the iconic 20s vamp, as well.
Turns out, there was life before shoulder pads and lip liner!

Joan's career was a long one, and started well before noir -- and sound. She's in Todd Browning's amazing The Unknown, with Lon Chaney.

[Nauga]

Joan's career was a long one, and started well before noir -- and sound. She's in Todd Browning's amazing The Unknown, with Lon Chaney.

Yes... one of F. Scott Fitzgerald's bright young things. Those eyes!

The Unknown is available in a TCM Lon Chaney collection, which also has Laugh, Clown, Laugh for the Chaney fans out there.

[Movie Memories]

Joan was one of the actresses people seemed to either love or hate. I'm a fan myself, for her contributions to noir, and film history in general.

She's in Todd Browning's amazing The Unknown, with Lon Chaney.

An amazing performance by Chaney. Crawford credited her experience working with Chaney on this film as teaching her the difference between standing in front of the camera and acting in front of the camera.

[Harry Fabian]

Don't forget "Johnny Guitar"!
Watched "Sudden Fear" - nice film that really got rolling about halfway through-although I figured out how it was going to end. Was not entirely convinced by Joan's change of heart at the end, but overall a strong performance. Kinda shocking that there is no quality dvd release of this.