Capitalizing on the success of MILDRED PIERCE, Warner Bros. played it smart by giving JOAN CRAWFORD another script she could really relate to. She plays a character who starts out like a domestic shrew, realizes there are bigger fish to lure into her net, gives herself fancy airs while rubbing shoulders with gangsters who can introduce her to the cream of society, and ends up giving another Joan Crawford performance that her fans are sure to appreciate.
The men around her are relegated to supporting roles, but at least David BRIAN and KENT SMITH do have a chance to prove they had more than a little acting talent. And STEVE COCHRAN does another nifty job as a ruthless gangster smitten with the lady who appears to be quite a bit older than he is--but, hey, this is a Joan Crawford movie so what does age matter? It's got a lot of melodramatic flourishes as it goes from rags to riches for the anti-heroine that Crawford could play in her sleep. Victor Sherman does the directing in a competent style but there's no Eve Arden around for some sassy quips and his direction isn't quite as sharp as Michael Curtiz's was for MILDRED PIERCE.
It's not top-level Crawford, but it IS intriguing and that's about all that her fans could ask for.
The men around her are relegated to supporting roles, but at least David BRIAN and KENT SMITH do have a chance to prove they had more than a little acting talent. And STEVE COCHRAN does another nifty job as a ruthless gangster smitten with the lady who appears to be quite a bit older than he is--but, hey, this is a Joan Crawford movie so what does age matter? It's got a lot of melodramatic flourishes as it goes from rags to riches for the anti-heroine that Crawford could play in her sleep. Victor Sherman does the directing in a competent style but there's no Eve Arden around for some sassy quips and his direction isn't quite as sharp as Michael Curtiz's was for MILDRED PIERCE.
It's not top-level Crawford, but it IS intriguing and that's about all that her fans could ask for.