For It Is Man's Number: joan crawford

Showing posts with label joan crawford. Show all posts

Tuesday, 20 September 2022

Mildred Pierce (1945)

Another classic film that I had heard about for many years, and another chance for me to check out a central performance from Joan Crawford (I think this is only my second film I have watched with her onscreen), this was the perfect choice to sit down and enjoy during a recent, relaxing, bank holiday.

Crawford is the titular Mildred Pierce, a woman who will do whatever it takes, working her fingers to the bone, to look after her family. Her husband (played by Bruce Bennett) leaves home, which means divorce needs to be figured out, and her eldest daughter, Veda (Ann Blyth) seems to have a constant need for things that cost more and more money. Mildred does have an idea though, a plan for a restaurant that could prove to be a very profitable business venture, but it soon becomes clear that, whether the business is successful or not, money won’t necessarily solve more problems than it causes.

Directed by Michael Curtiz (who delivered some major classics throughout the 1940s - little films you might have heard of like, ummmm, Casablanca, Captain Blood, Angels With Dirty Faces, etc), this is a fantastic blend of standard 1940s melodrama and film noir. It all begins with a murder, and a sequence of events that lead to Mildred Pierce being interrogated by police, but it is easy for forget the moments framing the main narrative as the storyline unfolds.

Writer Ranald MacDougall (someone else with more than one big title in his filmography) adapts the James M. Cain source material with an impressively delicate touch throughout. Everything in the film is deceptive, from the time taken to show the start of the whole story (keeping viewers far removed from that corpse for longer) to the various characters who end up as main suspects in the third act. And everything is anchored by Crawford at the centre, delivering another superb performance. Not that she is alone, and I guess now is as good a time as any to praise the entire cast.

Is this the best performance ever from Crawford? I don’t know, but only because I have yet to see enough of her work. I would be surprised if many of her film turns topped this one though. Blyth impressed by holding her own alongside her, playing a spirited girl who grows up to be an icy and determined young woman, with money always being her main motivation. Bennett is decent enough in his role, but he is overshadowed by the charismatic presence of Jack Carson (playing Wally Fay, the man who helps Mildred get her business started) and the faux-mystery and charm of Zachary Scott (playing a businessman who could also be a potential love interest). There are also enjoyable moments from Eve Arden and Butterfly McQueen, the latter injecting a particularly welcome scattering of humour with just one word or line delivered at just the right times.

Not a film I see mentioned all that often by film fans, although I am sure those who already appreciate it just assume that everyone knows about it by now, Mildred Pierce is another classic that I recommend others check out sooner than I did. A great mix of light and dark, and with the kind of memorable and impactful ending that you want from a film noir, it’s well worth your time, not least because it is well worth watching such a masterful performance from Crawford.

9/10

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Wednesday, 16 March 2022

Prime Time: The Unknown (1927)

A film that almost feels like a practice run for one of his most notorious titles, Freaks (which would come along five years later), Tod Browning's The Unknown is almost the equal of that better-known horror, thanks in no small part to the excellent performances from Lon Chaney and Joan Crawford. A dark tale of unrequited love, murder, and body modification (yes, body modification), this may be a tad predictable in the third act, but that makes it no less enjoyable.

Lon Chaney plays Alonzo, an armless individual who uses his feet to entertain people with his circus act. He's very skilled with them, being able to throw knives and fire weapons, as well as many other tricks. Alonzo has strong feelings for Nanon (Crawford), the daughter of the circus owner. You'd think that this pairing would be perfect, as Nanon has a fear of men grabbing and pawing at her, so she feels comfortable with the armless Alonzo. Malabar (Norman Kerry) is the circus strongman, and he also has feelings for Nanon, but the fact that he has two strong arms keeps Nanon from reciprocating any feelings toward him. Things change when Nanon's father, Zanzi, is murdered, allowing Alonzo to be a more comforting presence, perhaps even paving the way to their marriage. But one major change will have to happen, because it turns out that Alonzo DOES have arms, and he used those arms to kill Zanzi. A dark secret that is only known to Alonzo and his friend Cojo (John George), a plan is hatched to have his arms removed and live happily ever after with Nanon.

Absolutely incredible stuff from start to finish, and the runtime is under 50 minutes (sadly, the only surviving prints today are missing about a quarter of the footage, although it remains a cohesive and flowing work), The Unknown is a film that any fan of Tod Browning should definitely see ASAP. Despite being released 95 years ago, it is still a disturbing and chilling experience, the dark material complemented by the performances and style. Browning knows the world he is leading us into, and he is working with a superb cast.

Chaney is someone I haven't seen many performances from, despite his reputation, but this must rank up there with one of his best (the only other turn I have seen from him is his brilliant "Phantom" in The Phantom Of The Opera). I'll definitely be looking through more of his filmography soon, and his turn here is a masterclass is how to show every possible thought and emotion via facial expressions. Crawford is the typically sweet and beautiful woman needed for her role, performing well and convincing viewers that she can feel safest when being comforted by Alonzo. Kerry and Nick De Ruiz are both just fine, the latter playing Zanzi, and George is unforgettable in his role, his impact onscreen in inverse correlation to his diminutive 4'2" height.

It might be too melodramatic for some, and there are people who simply won't want to watch a silent movie from almost a century ago, but I rate this as a damn near perfect film. Despite the limitations of the time, it's a powerful blend of love, treachery, and outright horror. Please make some time for it in your viewing schedule, you only need a spare 50 minutes.

9/10