DePalma
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Posts posted by DePalma
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Hi Brando,
Remember in Mildred Pierce when Eve Arnold tells Joan:
Alligators have the right idea...they eat their young.
Talk about something tailored for them.
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Thanks so much Brando,
Take sometime and read the others, I am sure you will enjoy them as well.
DePalma
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Setting the record straight, depalma needs a life. we dont need 9 threads of the same damn thing
dsclassic,
You are not in any position to tell me how many times I should or should not post my views on this forum. It seems to me by your immature response that if anyone needs not only a life but to grow up as well -- is YOU! Remember, you don't have to read them...after all they are meant for the Joan Crawford fans, which are MANY!
DePalma
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PART SIX
JOAN CRAWFORD THE ULTIMATE STAR: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT
To those familiar with Joan Crawford on a personal level, the stories of the terrible abuse Christina accused her mother of inflicting upon her and Chris, never happened. They feel Christina was a brat, a real trouble maker and a liar. Furthermore, they believed that the real reason behind the Dearest book, was money and the desire to tarnished Joan's reputation forever by having "the last word" --as Christina saw fit. They do admited however, that Crawford was a strict disciplinarian and that she expected her children to behave according to her rules and not like so many other spoiled Hollywood brats. Judging by the horrible events one sees on the news everyday about parents torturing, molesting and even killing their young, Crawford as a mother seems like a caring and generous one. She admitted that she loved them, she cared for them, put them through private schools and encouraged them to better themselves. Perhaps, she won't be the ideal role model of a good mother for many, but I firmly believe that Joan Crawford was not the monster her adopted daughter Christina has made her out to be.
According to Joan, Christina was a willful girl who lied all the time, showed no respect and consideration for her and was determined to make her life miserable. In Joan's own words regarding Christina as a minor away at school:
"She often dated, wore too much make-up and went away for weekends without my permission or that of the Chadwicks. I don't enjoy telling you this, but the real reason Christina left Chadwick was that she had been expelled --(for being caught with a boy) and I will not say why. I sent her to the convent because it was the only school that would accept her." Christina's personality and pattern of behavior matches with Joan's explanations, the twins and that of the other people who knew Joan intimately over the years.
Perhaps, Joan Crawford's name may never again will recover its formal lustre from the stains caused by Christina's book. But I feel that if instead of concentrating on Joan Crawford's parental skills --we the fans-- take a pledge to stop the wire hanger jokes and work a little harder to rebuilt and restored her personal and professional image, we will be doing this most amazing woman a long overdue and deserved service. Lets concentrate on the real facts, the important ones --her amazing career achievements and the enormous joy she still brings to our lives.
I LOVE YOU JOAN CRAWFORD!
MAY YOU REST IN PEACE.
DePalma
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If Christina's memories of her early childhood provide no clues of what was to follow, her mother's are more revealing. Joan Crawford remembers that when Christina was very young, mother and daughter were "racing" through the water of the 65-foot swimming pool of the Brentwood estate.
"I let her win eight times," the actress says, "and then on the ninth time I struck out just a little bit and I won. She took a look at me and she swam back over to the steps and climbed out of the pool. She stood there and said, 'I'll never play with you as long as I live, never.' I said, 'Christina, look, my body is longer than yours. I could have won all the time. I'm bigger than you are. I'm faster than you are. I can win all the time. Now let's get back in the pool and play.' I picked her up to throw her into the pool and jumped in with her and made her swim."
In this recollection we have a glimpse, perhaps, of the kind of terms Joan Crawford was to offer Christina again and again as the child grew older. Christina could have luxury and love, she could have attention and even that most precious of all commodities, her mother's time. But in return she must know who was in control. She must know that her mother could win all the time.
There are children who can accept such conditions. They will trade obedience for attention, conformity for praise, independece for love. Christina, as her mother suggests, was not such a child. Perhaps already some of her mother's single-minded will to win had rubbed off on her.
By the time Christina was nine she and her mother were quarreling with increasing frequency. To some extent these were the normal quarrels of a mother and a pre-teen daughter over obedience and neatness, respectfulness and punctuality, the length of a skirt or the cut of a dress. They were probably exaggerated, however, by the fact that Joan Crawford was having trouble with her studio and in her personal life. They reached more than average intensity, too, because the actress held the same rigorously high standards for her children that she had always demanded of herself. There was constant bickering also because to Joan Crawford, whose own childhood had contained few of the amenities of life, it seemed excessively important that her children learn to please and to thank-you, to speak only when spoken to, to curtsy and to bow.
"When Christopher and I came home for summer vacation in June of 1953," Christina recalls, "things were downright miserable. There were constant battles with Mummy. I was home for less than two weeks before she sent me back to school again. A couple of weeks later my brother joined me there."
Joan Crawford also remembers that summer well, "It was a miserable time," she says. "Christina teased her young brother unmercifully and they both began picking on the twins. All four children had strong personalities of their own, and I felt that the best solution was to send Christina back to school." (Again the main trouble maker)
According to Christina, " the Chadwicks allowed me to work in their home helping Mrs. Chadwick with the cooking, cleaning, general housework -- anything that had to be done. They paid me $30 a month, which I shared with Christopher. We kept the arrangement through that year and until I was taken out of school." Although Christina was not aware of it, her mother had planned this financial setup herself. "I believed that it was excellent training for Christina to earn money by doing housework," says the actress. "The money she received was really paid by me. I told the Chadwicks to give it to her."
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In a very interesting interview by Morton J. Goulding titled "The Revolt of Joan Crawford's Daughter" Redbook magazine 1960 I read: ""I've always loved children and wanted children," Joan Crawford explains. "I would like to have had eight."
Toward Christina, however, on whom she once lavished much love, the actress today expresses very different feelings. "It has been eighteen years of disappointment,"she says of her relationship with her oldest child. Hurt and bewildered, Christina, now herself "a struggling young actress" has tried to trace the steps that have estranged her from a once apparently devoted and loving mother. Where did their relationship go wrong? Why do two women now face each other across a chasm of misunderstanding when at one time there was the closeness of a tender mother and an adoring child?"
Christina's earliest memories hardly foreshadow the trouble that was to come. Nor are they the typical memories of an overindulged but neglected Hollywood child.
"Mummy was with me constantly," Christina says. "No matter where she went, even when she travelled across the country, I went along too." ( see my point? SHE was the ONLY child)
There were governesses, of course, but Christina has no feelings of having been abandoned to them when was little. Whenever Joan Crawford was working on a movie, the actress would rush home each evening to sit with Christina at dinner, to hear her prayers and to tuck her into bed.
The late John Garfield made an indelible impression on the girl when he came to the house one night for a screening of Humoresque, in which he co-starred with Joan Crawford. After the screening, which Christina was allowed to attend, he carried her to her room. "I thought he was the most marvelous creature in the world, " she said, "and I decided that if I ever married, it would have to be someone like him." (See the competitive side of Christina rearing his ugly little head? Even at this early stage, Christina wanted to upstage Joan. Remember in the movie when Joan asks her "Why does everything has to be a contest?"
As Christina grew older she began to see less and less of her mother. "Not that Mother didn't try to give us time. The problem was just she didn't have that much. You can't build a career like she built and have a great deal of time left over for yourself or anyone else." Yet Joan Crawford tried to make the most of her time with the children. "And, on the whole," she says, "I gave them more time that most normal mothers outside the movie business."
"We have wonderful memories of holidays and special occasions," Christina says. "Sometimes, too, Mummy used to drive Chris and me to a place called Mandeville Canyon, just ten minutes from the house, and we'd take a picnic lunch big enough for an army. When Mummy was working she'd always manage to meet us for soads or lunch downtown. And when she was terribly busy at the studio she'd take me along onto the set, just so I could be near her."
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Yes he did, actually, but why wouldn't he? He was all along a partner in crime with Christina and was also cut off from the will. Is only natural that he too would drag Joan through the mud.
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PART THREE
JOAN CRAWFORD THE ULTIMATE STAR: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
In an even earlier article, Picture Play 1928, Joan was described by reporter Ann Sylvester as:
"Having the habit of making engagements and forgetting them....she's fond of entertaining up to ten girls at a very high priced restaurant....Her mind is quicker than a trigger, but cultivated. One moment she's broadly sounding her vowels and the next she's racking herself with a laugh that can be heard beyond the city limits. She's a funny kid, alright"
One of Crawford's most beautiful assets, apart from her eyes large clear blue eyes, was her perfect nose. There was not a single bad angle on that marvelous face. Now, looking at so many wonderful images, I am in total admiration of her beauty and hard work as a model. Crawford was one of the most photogenic faces that ever appeared in front of a camera. By 1931, Crawford was being called "the perfect camera beauty" by those who took her pictures and by 1935, she had altered her physical appearance to iconic proportions. Is hard to imagine that since her arrival in 1925, Joan Crawford had catapulted herself to the front row of M-G-M's superstars right next to Garbo and Shearer. Odd to think that the little chunky flapper who copied everyone else's styles became in a short time one of the most imitated and copied woman in the world.
Those involved behind the scenes in her pictures, knew firsthand a side of Joan Crawford that very few people ever got to see. She treated everyone with courtesy and a sincere friendly disposition. She knew everyone's names and the names of the wives, husbands and kids. She was never a star too famous and important to bother with the little people. Instead, Joan always remembered birthdays and xmas, and presented the crew members with expensive gifts, personally. Very few of the electricians, and stage hands ever talked about Joan's generosity towards them mostly because she always asked them to keep the matter between themselves. Is a well know fact that many times throughout her career, Crawford wrote sizable checks to help a crew member who's child was sick of he himself had being a victim of an accident. Christina discredits Joan's doings as nothing more than a publicity stunt, of course, is much easier for her to stick another nail into Joan than to admit that Crawford really was a generous woman and a friend to these people. After all, they were responsible for how she looked on the screen and I am sure that her appreciation in return for their efforts was a sincere one.
Christina's horror stories never took place, according to Cindy, one of the adopted twins. While looking at images of Joan, pictures of Christina as the only little angel in Joan's household are everywhere. Then came Christopher and finally the twins. I'm sure that these additions made Christina very angry and jealous. Is a wel know fact that Christina turned Christopher against Crawford from the start. She claims that Joan abused her and the boy for years, but what about the twins? Is it possible that Joan was deliberately cruel and abusive to just Christina and Christopher? No, I don't think so. I believe that the more accurate version was that Christina was a spoil brat, a disrespectful loudmouth and a trouble maker. That she teamed with Christopher to drive Joan crazy and that in return they got what they deserved. Several friends of Joan who visited the house had said that Christina was a hateful child who wanted to be the center of attention and when Joan would try to control her, Christina would throw fits and even hit Joan with her hands and feet. They go on to say that Christina deserved to be punished more often than Joan ever did. By the time Christina was 10 years old, Joan took care of Christina's antics at home for good, she sent her away to Chadwick school in Los Angeles.
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Hello Monak,
I couldn't agree with you more. I've seen the costumes in color and they are even more breathtaking. Did you know that in the mid 70s several costumes from MA where shown in an exhibition dedicated to Hollywood in NY?
A book titled HOLLYWOOD COSTUME by Vreeland depicts this event Is a MUST for any film collector.
DePalma
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First of all I will appreciate if you stop changing the title to my post with your replies.
Like I said, I was at The Max Factor Museum, I saw the wigs, I saw the photographs of Dietrich's wigs being combed out by Max Jr...I saw the gold dust being collected...I believe it to be true.
You of course are entitle to your opinion, still does not mean you are correct. Lets move on, please, I have no desire to continue this back and forth silly banter with you.
Thanks
PS: As far as your gold bricks...I have a few suggestions where you should put them...permanently.
DePalma
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Rusty, thanks for the laughs.
Well Eva (Ava) Gardner was the most beautiful woman on the screen, after all she was Venus personified. Diane Kruger's face can only sink the whole fleet.
LOL
DePalma
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Hi, hi, hiiiiiiii!!!!
Well, the main reason that Christina wrote the book was CASH and the other to destroy Joan's image since Christina herself tried and failed miserably as an "actress"
Even since an early age she was a plain, mousy girl with a very large head....I guess Crawford took a second look at her and changed her name to Christina instead.
Remember there where four children in the Crawford household and only Christina speaks ill of Joan.
DePalma
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I'm ROLLING with laughter!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahaha!!!!!
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PART TWO
JOAN CRAWFORD THE ULTIMATE STAR: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
I always find it very moving to see images of the young Lucille Le Sueur in the chorus line or background as an extra and my respect and admiration for her achievements only but grows with the passing time as I continue my search for the real Joan Crawford.
Adela Rogers St. John described Crawford as: "A very nice woman and a person of the highest voltage --like the impact of taking hold of a live wire"
John Cukor said: "Joan Crawford was very easy to work with, very sensitive...in A Woman's Face, I thought she displayed great gifts...she's a very accomplished actress."
According to Larry Carr, while in Boston to promote a picture, Joan went through nine newspaper interviews, seven radio tapes, two TV tapes and one news reel, at the same time autographing pictures and posing for innumerable photos in a record time of 3 hours and 9 minutes. After everyone had left, a disappointed Joan said: "It should have been done in an hour and a half"
Jean Negulesco, who directed Joan in one of her finest screen performances, Humoresque (my very own favorite), said: "It's difficult to get what you want out of her because she has such definite ideas -- remember Fairbanks? --but in the end, the results is so satisfying that she could be one hundred and ten times more difficult and I'd still be happy. She's a very effective actress. Everything for her is acting: this is her life, her food, her drink"
Crawford's determination to be a star is nowhere more evident than in her unbelievable transformation from Lucille to Joan. No other actress with perhaps the exception of Marlene Dietrich, Rita Hayworth and Marilyn Monroe went through a more dramatic metamorphosis. Still, even at the earliest stages of her creation, the eyes always had that particular fire, that unique brand of a promising future ahead of her.
During the first few years as part of the stable of contract players, Crawford was considered a fun girl, good nature, a hard worker and extremely likeable. Everyone, from the gate man to the highest executive, particularly Meyer, was fond of Joan Crawford.
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Joe,
You hit the nail right on the head.
:-)
DePalma
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Hello Joefilmone,
I actually think that the difference between the stars of yesteryear and the actors of today is that the stars of the silver screen under studio contracts had to present themselves like stars on and off the screen. It was unthinkable to go out in public looking like a cheap tramp or a hobo. I also feel that stars like Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Robert Taylor, Gary Cooper and other contemporaries, took pride on themselves and worked hard on their image, something that the actors today rarely do.
Cordially,
DePalma
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Hello Brando4ever!
I think is about time WE the fans take a stand and start a campaign to restore Joan Crawford's star back to the correct spotlight, where she belongs. Since the character assassination she received by the jealous and bitter Christina, Joan's name has been linked to wire hangers for too damn long. People and in particularly the new fans, need to know about Christina's lack of respect for Joan, her resentment of her achievements, her envy of Joan's beauty and lastly the motives behind the book to fully understand the whole story. the REAL story. Stay tune for the next chapters.
Thank you for your support.
DePalma
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Hello CineMaven!
You asked for my opinion and I will be happy to share it, of course.
None of these actors appeal to me. I think they are truly overrated. If one thing was sure about the Hollywood studio system was that before a potential player was signed to a long term contract, not only their talent but their image had to meet the standards of a star. For starters, one of the worst features on most of the actors you mentioned are their terrible teeth. Roberts and Washington have teeth so huge that when they open their mouths is a scary sight. Pitt's teeth are not as bad as the others, but the shape of his lips give him a weird under bite? since his jaw line is so prominent. To me he looks to me like a hamster with both sides of his mouth full of pellets. Plus, he comes across as such a hillbilly. Last, Clooney, I think he's got nice eyes and looks good in formal apparel, but the shape of his mouth and particularly his teeth makes him look like he's wearing some very cheap dentures.
No, I don't think that we will ever see the likes of Power, Gable, Hayworth or Gardner again. As far as Angelina Jolie, I find her very striking when she's groomed well and does a classy magazine layout, otherwise she's always looking like a devil practitioner.
DePalma
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PART ONE
JOAN CRAWFORD: THE ULTIMATE STAR: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT
I recently had some time off and decided to take a look back at the great screen career of Joan Crawford. I knew it would be a job that would require for me to search through thousands of files from my Crawford collection that includes hundreds of vintage photos, endless magazines from the 30s to the late 50s all featuring Crawford and stacks of periodical clippings among other items, but I was determined. As a fan, I felt responsible in some small way to give this most amazing woman a fresh look and the credit she rightfully deserves. Furthermore, I hope that by doing so, other Crawford fans also join in and help in the "restoration" of her persona as one of the most influential and greatest star of Hollywood Golden Years. If one thing was clear to anyone who knew Joan Crawford is that she valued her fan base and no matter where she was, she always stopped to sign autographs and talk to them.
In her 45 years of screen performances, Crawford changed the outer layers of her persona as often as a chameleon, but the core of her character and indomitable will to stay at the top, remained intact. She knew the fickle nature of this business and was aware that part of her success meant to change with the times or be forgotten.
One of the earliest items I came about was an article written by Douglas Fairbanks Jr. for Vanity Fair in July of 1930. Here are some highlights: "She has the most remarkable power of concentration of anyone I have ever known. Under any circumstances this tremendous faculty is at her very fingertips. She's consumed with an overwhelming ambition. She's always prepared for any emergency. She has a great capacity for study. If she feels that she is not up to standard in a certain line she will go to any extreme to master it. She is not easily influenced and must be thoroughly convinced before she will waver in her opinion at any point. She will stand by her belief with Trojan ferocity. She has temperament without being temperamental. She demands the things to which she knows she has the right, and will ask for no more until she knows with all sincerity she's worthy of it. This is particularly true in her professional life. If someone does her wrong she's slow in forgetting, but when she does there's no doubt in her attitude. She takes great interest in clothes and all things feminine yet has the analytical mind of a man. Wow! Not sure about you guys, but that sounds like Crawford to me.
Regarding Joan Crawford's determination, professionalism and strong will, I found many articles. She was considered as early as 1935 one of the few Hollywood stars that could not be defeated. Hedda Hopper said: "I've known her since she made her first picture and there is a demon inside her. She cannot stop going, she cannot stop doing --she will never stop learning."
Louella Parsons said "Joan Crawford manufactured herself. While other stars have changed themselves and their personalities, Joan created herself and her personality as if she'd drawn a blueprint, decided what she wanted to look and sound like, and then put that person into existence.
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The gold used on Dietrich's wigs according to Max Factor was real gold "dust" specially processed for her. Don't be so ignorant to think that an ounce of pure gold was poured on her wigs. This process of turning the gold into powder was not cheap and it cost $60 an ounce. I visited the Max Factor museum and right there among so many personal and wonderful items from Hollywood's biggest stars was, in a display case, wigs worn by Dietrich preserved exactly as they were decades ago and you can actually see little gold specs still in them. PLUS vintage photographs of Max Factor Jr combing out the gold from the wigs.
Please, don't open your mouth so wide when you have no clue what you are talking about.
DePalma
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The actors are hams, it looks so "poised" and studied" almost like a parody.
That comment could be made about over half the films made until the 1960s.
I don't agree with you, but I am aware that not everyone who sees these classic films have the same views for which I'm glad. Can't imagine everyone agreeing on everything. Nonetheless, you are entitle to your opinion. I was however, referring to Stranger On The Third Floor, only.
DePalma
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PART THREE
Swanson "return to the screen" film was in 1941 with Father takes a Wife. Unfortunately, the movie did little in her favor and not even her new look with higher brows and larger mouth clicked with her fans and general public. Only the national magazines and periodicals paid any real attention to her efforts.
After Father, Swanson stayed off the screen until 1949, still she managed to keep herself in the public arena. Along with a cosmetics and fashion lines, Swanson also added her name to health foods and to Multiprises, a company she headed to discover and exploit foreign patents.
In 1950, Swanson landed the role of a lifetime, the one she was born to play to the nines, Sunset Boulevard. As she said in the film" I am BIG is the pictures that got small" The part was originally offered to Mae West ( who turned it down), to Mary Pickford (who demanded endless changes and too much control over the project) and to Pola Negri ( who just like West turned it down) before being sent to Swanson, who knew what a beefy part was all about.
The part of Joe Gillis was offered to Monty Cliff, who signed to play it, but changed his mind and broke the contract two weeks before filming was to start. Wilder offered the part to Fred Mac Murray (who turned it down not wanting to play a gigolo) Marlon Brando and Gene Kelly were also considered. Finally the part went to the right actor, William Holden. I can't pictured Sunset without Swanson or Holden starring in it.
Swanson was 50 years old at the time she played Desmond a woman of 50. As Joe reminds her in the film. Wilder felt that Gloria looked to young for the part and wanted to "aged" Norma, but she refused to look a day older and suggested that Holden be made to look younger instead.
Gloria Swanson received an Oscar nomination for her work in Sunset and recalled her days on the set as some of the most marvelous times in her career. Next time you watch Sunset Boulevard, pay attention to the last scene when "Salome" descends into madness as she comes down the staircase. Norma afraid to trip on her high heels, took them off and did the scene bare feet.
As early as 1924 Vanity Fair nominated Swanson for its Hall of Fame "Because she is a sculptress, writer, linguist and musician of first rate ability...and because her sure and restrained acting have made her a noted screen artist".
Gloria Swanson, what a woman, what a life!
DePalma
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The real "Stars" died when the studio system ended. Most of those who made it before this knew the value of good publicity, maintaining a great figure, dressing and behaving in a glamorous fashion and above all, keeping a good relation with photographers, the press and particularly the fans. You could see any of these men and women on the street at any given time and you knew they were stars. Look around you today and everyone looks like everyone else, frumpy women, poorly dressed men, they're so terribly groomed and unclean. It makes you wonder what are the studios thinking when they have to pay these haggy actors millions of dollars per film. Only once a year you see any real effort from these actors to look their best and even then the results leave much to be desire.
No, I'm afraid there are no stars left in Hollywood. For if you bring me anyone today as an example, since I know better, I will have to compare her/him with a star of yesteryear and right away you're faced with the unavoidable fact that a raisin will never be more glamorous than a luscious, red cherry.
DePalma
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PART TWO
The talking pictures debuted in 1927 and by early 1929 just about every big name in the business had attempted a talkie with two exceptions, Garbo and Swanson. Several crowned heads rolled due to poor voice registering with the talkies. Clara Bow was one of the biggest stars who's career suffered irreparable damage. In November of 1929, Vanity Fair wrote:" A not too credulous audience at the New York premiere of The Trespasser, rose and cheered as the indomitable and really talented Miss Swanson talked and sang her way back to screen prestige"
In 1933 Swanson married again this time to Michael Farmer while filming Tonight or Never, which introduced Melving Douglas to the screen. Later that year she gave birth to her daughter Michelle.
She was absent from the screen for two years, a very long time for an actress in those days. Upon her return, she found that Hollywood had changed more than she ever imagined. Even so, she was welcomed with top offers from Paramount, United Artists and MGM, home of Garbo Harlow, Shearer and Marion Davies.
While in New York making personal appearances to promote Three Weeks, Swanson met Herbert Marshall and started a torrid affair, soon after she filed for divorce. This took place just as The Legion of Decency was formed and the behavior of stars on and off the screen went under close scrutiny with terrible results for the more free spirited performers. The Swanson/Marshall romance aroused violent complaints from the reformers and Swanson felt for the first time in her career the hounds snapping at her rear end.
In 1934, after Music in the Air, Swanson was off the screen until 1941, but still not totally out of the public eye. Upon her return to the studio, she soon found out that things had really changed this time around and that the screen had grown too large for there any longer be just one Queen. Now each major studio had a number of younger, more beautiful contenders ready to fight for the title"Queen of the Lot"
SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT - TOO MANY OF THE SAME POSTS IS SPAM
in Hot Topics
Posted
Frankly, we don't need 9 Hot Topics about the same damn Crawford thread...as much as we love & enjoy Joan, one thread is more than enough
It speaks volumes...the rest of the parts is just a bit much
dsclassic,
The root of the threat is the same, only I was forced to make it in chapters because it would not fit as a single piece. Again, I will remind you that you don't have to read them....is obvious by the responses from other Crawford fans they did enjoyed my posts. I have no intention to continue this back and forth rambling with you, so this will be my last reply to you regarding this subject. After all, you more than anyone else in this matter should practice what you preach.
PS: Repeating the word "damn" when referring to Joan Crawford is just not very nice thing to do.
Goodbye to you.
DePalma