Nominated for four academy awards, sudden fear is an unbeatable combination of lush melodrama and dropdead suspense. One of crawfords finest performances is in 1952s sudden fear, which will be playing at the film forum in new york in a dcp restoration for a week starting august 12, a restoration hopefully is on its way to other arthouse theaters around the country. Overview of sudden fear, 1952, directed by david miller, with joan crawford, jack palance, gloria grahame, at turner classic movies. Joan crawford committed suicide says friend daily mail. Sudden fear is great film noir, superbly acted by crawford and costar jack.
Pittsburgh penguins owner howard baldwin was the producer of sudden death, and the action is set in his hockey arena, in which the penguins are playing the chicago blackhawks. As is the death of dean grahams massey wife, or in fact the sudden shift of dean graham becoming husband to one louise howell. Feud is putting the spotlight back on joan crawford and her struggle to solidify her place in 1950s hollywood. Yet it is great fun, too, because this is pure cinema drama set in a real house of horrors. Featuring joan crawford at her grande dame victimturnedavenger best, sudden fear 1952 pits crawfords playwrightheiress myra against fortunehunting husband lester and his equally greedy girlfriend irene. The film builds to an extraordinary finale, where myra puts her plot in motion and, in a scene that shows charles langs distinctive cinematography at its moodiest, she must hide from lester in irenes darkened apartment. Film legend joan crawford gives a terrific performance in this chiller from pioneer. March 23, 1905 may 10, 1977 was an academy awardwinning american actress, named the tenth greatest female star of all time by the american film institute. Oscar nominations for best black and white cinematography, best actress and best supporting actor. The film looks terrific on a noir level, and crawford engrosses greatly from start to finish, but it only seems to exist for these two reasons, all else is on the outer edges of the frame looking in. The truth is that years ago i caught a glimpse of this movie and spotted a scene that looked exactly like our foyer in the house i grew up in in san francisco from the late 40s to midfifties.
Joan crawford, one of hollywoods last true movie queens, died. Sudden fear is a 1952 american film noir thriller directed by david miller, and starring joan crawford and jack palance in a tale about a successful woman who marries a murderous man. After steeles death, she took a seat on pepsis board of directors and served. Sudden fear is one of the top 5 best joan crawford films ever as well as one. She rose to fame with a contract at mgm and was nominated for an academy award three times and was awarded the prized statue on her third time for mildred pierce when it was announced she had won, crawford was quoted saying, whether the academy voters were giving the oscar to me. After crawfords death, christina released a wellknown, but controversial, tellall memoir, mommie dearest 1978. What ever happened to baby jane joan crawford was born lucille fay lesueur on march 23, 1906, in san antonio, texas, to anna belle johnson and thomas e. She made her film debut in lady of the night 1925 as a body double for film star norma shearer. Starting as a dancer on broadway, crawford was signed to a motion picture contract by metrogoldwynmayer studios in 1925 and initially played small parts. A next to a title indicates a film in the joan canon that i think is particularly worth seeingeither especially important in her career or one that i just like a lot. Apr 24, 2017 joan crawford is one of the most iconic film actors to have ever graced the silver screen, but despite her fame and critical acclaim she died all alone inside her manhattan apartment.
After his death in 1959 she became a director of the company and in that role hired her friend dorothy arzner to film several pepsi commercials. Aug 11, 2016 sudden fear 1952 by farran smith nehme on august 11, 2016 it had been seven years since mildred pierce, the role joan crawford had to audition for at warner brothers after mgm terminated her contract, and the hit she rode to an oscar. In 1978, a year after her death, her daughter christina crawford. Joan crawford might not have been a monstrous mother after all after fleeing a childhood in the midwest which can best be described as dickensian and following a stint as a dancer in new york, ambitious lucille le sueur arrived in hollywood in 1925, changed her name to the more marqueefriendly joan crawford, and launched one of the most. Joan crawford is one of hollywoods most iconic and interesting leading ladies. Why bette davis and joan crawfords feud lasted a lifetime.
Featuring gaunt yet imposing newcomer jack palance as myras scheming spouse, lester is already a quietly threatening presence even. A great example is film noir sudden fear 1952, in which she plays some of her. Joan crawford ruled the roost as one of the great stars of the golden age of. Its important to note that by all accounts, all seemed forgiven between gable and crawford after carole lombards sudden death in 1942.
Aside from 1932s rain and 1946s humoresque, i cant think of another crawford film that relies more heavily on joan s facial expressiveness to propel the picture. Joan was one of clarks closest confidantes during that time and volunteered to replace carole in what would have been her next film, alexander halls, they all kissed the bride 1942. Joan crawford in sudden fear on cohen media channel. One of crawford s finest performances is in 1952s sudden fear, which will be playing at the film forum in new york in a dcp restoration for a week starting august 12, a restoration hopefully is on its way to other arthouse theaters around the country. Featuring gaunt yet imposing newcomer jack palance as myras scheming spouse, lester is already a quietly threatening presence even before myra accidentally discovers. Died may 10, 1977 manhattan, new york city, new york, u. In her will, joan only allowed two of her four adopted children to inherit her. In 1968, joan crawford did a television interview with david frost in which she discussed clark. By the time she was born, her parents had separated, and by the time she was a teenager, shed had three stepfathers. When a spate of axe murders start occurring suddenly in the. The subject of a film season at the british film institute in london, crawford was a magnetic yet shrewdly calculating actor.
Joan crawford turns in one of the most emotionally charged performances of her career as a playwright who must use her plotting skills to save her own life, in this beautifully crafted film noir thriller. Though shes probably best remembered for the portrayals of her by other actresses, the oscarwinning performer starred. A next to a title indicates that the film has been selected by the us library of congress to be preserved as part of the national film registry. Along with taking on the films leading role, joan crawford also worked uncredited as an executive producer and writer, so she was heavily. Sudden fear by david miller david miller, joan crawford. Joan s roles of the 1930s are frequently referred to in film literature as being of the shopgirl makes good variety. In fact, of her 25 films made during the 30s, only three timesin 1930s our blushing brides, 1938s mannequin, and 1939s the women does she actually play a shopgirl. After an ambitious actor insinuates himself into the life of a wealthy middleaged playwright and marries her, he plots with his mistress to murder her. She received a third and final academy award nomination for her performance in the thriller sudden fear 1952. Joan crawford is one of the most iconic film actors to have ever graced the silver screen, but despite her fame and critical acclaim she died all alone inside her manhattan apartment. Joan crawford might not have been a monstrous mother after.
Joan crawford committed suicide says friend daily mail online. Bette davis reportedly once said of her hollywood archnemesis, i wouldnt piss on joan crawford if she were on fire. Born lucille fay le sueur in san antonio, texas, but christened joan crawford by hollywood, she exemplified the 1920s carefree flapper era to a t. Her crypt incorrectly states her birth year as 1908, when in fact it was 1904. Her top 15 films, ranked worst to best, include mildred pierce. Joan crawford plays a successful and wealthy playwright who falls in love and marries a mediocre actor jack palance who, she discovers, only married her for her money and with the aid of an old flame, plans to murder her.
Sep 18, 2014 joan crawford finds out the truth about her husband. Even if you are not a fan of film noir, consider sudden fear a persistently engaging suspense thriller. Joan crawford was an american film and television actress who began her career as a dancer. Belgianbornjeanclaude van damme deserves credit for transforming himself into an actionstar and improving his english, but its premature to give his. Thanks in part to his turn as blackie in the sublime panic in the streets 1950, the presence of jack palance around joan crawfords character near any of the various stairways always raises concern for her safety.
And, it is her efforts to avoid sudden death that constitute the meat of this offering. Her portrayal of a goodhearted flapper in her 21st film, our dancing daughters 1928, made her a star. Her portrayal of a goodhearted flapper in her 21st film, our dancing daughters 1928, made her a. Sudden death follows this diehard formula faithfully, with the intriguing switch that it is the herowho speaks with an accent. Joan crawford, one of hollywoods last true movie queens, died tuesday of a heart attack. Joan crawford, who rose from waitress and chorus girl to become one of the great movie stars, died yesterday of a heart attack in her apartment at 158 east 68th street. What ever happened to baby jane joan crawford was born lucille fay lesueur on march 23, 1906, in san antonio, texas, to anna belle johnson. Tour our photo gallery of the 15 greatest joan crawford films, ranked worst to best, including mildred pierce, possessed, sudden fear. Ranking the many scandalous affairs of joan crawford. The film looks terrific on a noir level, and crawford engrosses greatly from start to finish, but it only seems to exist for these two reasons, all else is. After her academy awardnominated performance in 1952s sudden fear, crawford continued to work. Film actress joan crawford was born lucille fay lesueur in san antonio, texas, on march 23, 1905 though some sources have reported her birth date as 1908. Occupation film and television actress broadway performer dancer business executive years active 19251972 spouses douglas fairbanks, jr.
Featuring joan crawford at her grande dame victimturnedavenger best, sudden fear 1952 pits crawford s playwrightheiress myra against fortunehunting husband lester and his equally greedy girlfriend irene. Sam lesner in the chicago daily news saw more than luck, noting, the film is a field day for bette davis, joan crawford, and director robert aldrich, who saw in henry farrells novel. Sudden fear, for all of its classic noir reputation, can for me best be described as an homage to joan crawfords face. Resting place ferncliff cemetery, hartsdale, new york, u. Since the magnificent and nightmarish noir effects of the film have been wellcovered by. Thanks in part to his turn as blackie in the sublime panic in the streets 1950, the presence of jack palance around joan crawford s character near any of the various stairways always raises concern for her safety. Crawford was married to the actors douglas fairbanks, jr. The anthology series gives viewers an inside look into her legendary feud with bette.
After a tough, poor childhood, she was spotted in a chorus line by mgm and signed as an ingenue in 1925. Joan crawford finds out the truth about her husband. The joan crawford filmography lists the film appearances of american actress joan crawford. Bette and joan tells it, crawfords own brother, hal lesueur, hassled and blackmailed crawford over the tape for years. She appeared in several other films before she made her major breakthrough playing lon chaneys love. One of hollywoods greatest stars, joan crawford, was redefined as a sadistic control freak by mommie dearest, her daughters 1978 tellall. With joan crawford, jack palance, gloria grahame, bruce bennett. The joan crawford filmography lists the film appearances of american actress joan crawford, who starred in numerous feature films throughout a lengthy career that spanned nearly five decades. Sudden fear gives crawford a lot of scenes that play out without her saying a word. Aside from 1932s rain and 1946s humoresque, i cant think of another crawford film that relies more heavily on joans facial expressiveness to propel the picture.
Coffee and robert smith was based upon the novel of the same name by edna sherry. Joan crawford portrays a successful, independently wealthy playwright who fires struggling actor jack palance from her latest production. Sudden fear, for all of its classic noir reputation, can for me best be described as an homage to joan crawford s face. Joan crawford crawford in humoresque, 1946 born lucille fay lesueur march 23, 190. Joan only admitted to it after his death, saying, we had an affaira glorious affairand it lasted longer than anybody knows. Grand hotel, the women, mildred pierce, and johnny guitar.