Harriet Craig (1950)

Sorry, this movie sucks

Best movie of this year hands down!

Absolutely Fantastic

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Classic Crawford! Even more than Queen Bee this is the Joan Crawford of drag queen legend. With her slash of a mouth, obviously red even in black and white, mannish haircut and sharply tailored clothes she is the essence of the latter career Crawford ball breaker. Actually she's such an obvious coruscating bitch from the get go it's hard to believe it takes so long for many of those around her to realize her true nature. A remake of the successful 30's film Craig's Wife with Rosalind Russell Joan takes the part of the material monster between her teeth and runs with it. Where Roz was tough and brittle in the original there was an underlying sense of vulnerability. Joan will have none of that, even in her big revelation scene near the end with her defenses down she still seems made of steel and her heart enameled over. Not to say she isn't entertaining for she surely is but it's a diamond hard portrayal of someone that you would never want to met but probably have. The rest of the cast doesn't stand much of a chance when Joan grabs center stage but Lucile Watson breezes in for two wonderful but short scenes as the boss's wife and lights up the screen with some much welcomed warmth and humor. Viola Roache also gets her moment when she finally gets to tell off the ice cold Harriet.

It was exactly a quarter of a century after George Kelly's Craig's Wife opened on Broadway that Joan Crawford followed Rosalind Russell - who had starred in the first film version - into the role of the eponymous Mrs Craig. Crawford, lacking Russell's natural warmth, was perfect casting as the cold, manipulative control freak and could well have phoned it in. As it happened the supporting cast included the likes of Ellen Corby and Lucile Watson but there were albeit superfluous as Crawford could carry this one by sheer willpower and force of personality. Wendell Corey was still getting work wherever mahogany was called for and he did about as well as anyone with the thankless part of Craig, who is there merely as something - as opposed to someONE - for Harriet to fool, foil and manipulate. Inevitably, of course, she gets her comeuppance although she was never a magnificent Amberson so much as an insignificant Craig.

" Wives may be a little extra trouble now and then, but they're mighty handy gadgets to have around the house." This movie is like a time capsule of the late 1940's and 50's. There are definite stereotypes about the roles of men and women from that period - like a woman's place is in the home, etc. Some will find this very dated and annoying - but I often enjoy seeing glimpses into past periods in American history, even if I don't necessarily agree with it.There is not a lot of depth to this movie in the classic soap tradition. But there is good character development in the sense that you know everyone's personalities. Joan is the controlling, manipulative wife trying to climb the social ladder. Correy plays the wimpy husband who lets his wife control him and everything in his life... Until she finally goes to far. Its good to see Mrs. Craig get what's coming to her in the end.Joan's costumes are beautiful and extravagant. But I hated the hairdo she has in most of the picture - very much like "helmet-hair". Its all stuck very close to her head and gives her profile shots an unflattering shape. Perhaps they're trying to give her an overly masculine look to match her domineering personality. I'm not a huge fan Of Crawford. I find most of her work overly theatric and stiff. This carries over here as well. There is one exception: when she relives the day her father left the family. She shows natural and genuine human emotion and pain in that scene, without all the campiness for which she is known.If you don't like melodrama or soap opera style films, stay away from this one. If you want a glimpse into 1950's stereotypes, watch this. Also, for those familiar with Crawford personal life and "Mommie Dearest", this role perhaps best captures that side of Joan - controlling, manipulative, unforgiving, and without an ounce of warmth in her whole body.

This film seems tailor-made for Ms. Crawford and her persona. A controlling housewife, Harriet Craig, she controls all of her husband's life, (portrayed well by a kind-hearted Wendell Corey), who you may also recognize as the long suffering husband in "No Sad Songs for Me".Harriet is a desperate housewife, whose own father abandoned her. Her mission in life is order and control, of the house, her husband, and his career. She refuses to have children, and conceals this from her husband ( unheard of in 1950!).Crawford looks lovely, is a beautiful woman, but people have problems relating to her. She is not an accepting person. Eventually her scheming and attempt to thwart Corey's trip to Japan disgusts him, and he decides he can carry on his life in a more normal manner with someone, anyone else.Crawford and her hauteur are classic, there are some small scenes which are almost amusing as she obsesses about a vase, and scolds a young neighbor boy. Overall a do not miss. 9/10.