Tag Archives: Joan Crawford

An Acting Lesson: John Wayne and the “Reality of the Doing”

Posted on May 26, 2023 by sheila

In one lengthy scene in Hondo, filmed in one almost unbroken take, Wayne makes horseshoes in the little outdoor smith in the yard. Geraldine Page hovers nearby. He talks to her about the Apaches, and what they are up to. … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day | Tagged Actors Studio, Dennis Hopper, Elia Kazan, Gary Cooper, Gena Rowlands, Geraldine Page, Group Theatre, James Dean, Joan Crawford, John Wayne, Rebel Without a Cause, Sanford Meisner | Leave a comment

“If you want to see the girl next door, go next door.” – Joan Crawford

Posted on March 23, 2023 by sheila

Today is Joan Crawford’s birthday. Some links first: World-Class Acting: On Joan Crawford and Sudden Fear Here are the re-caps of Feud: Bette and Joan I did for The New York Times. Lots of discussions of Joan Crawford’s career and … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day | Tagged Clark Gable, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Crawford, Johnny Guitar, Otto Preminger, Sudden Fear, Vincente Minnelli | 10 Comments

For International Women’s Day: Ladies I Love

Posted on March 8, 2023 by sheila

These women inspire, entertain, challenge, comfort, provoke, or were “there” in my formative years as an inspiration. The list is huge. Below the jump.

Posted in Actors, Art/Photography, Directors, Personal, writers | Tagged A.S. Byatt, Abigail Adams, Agnes Varda, Aline MacMahon, Ann Savage, Anna Karina, Anne Frank, Anne V. Coates, Annie Proulx, art, Aubrey Plaza, Australia, Austria, Barbara Bel Geddes, Barbara Stanwyck, Barbra Streisand, Bette Davis, Bibi Andersson, Brazil, Britney Spears, Busby Berkeley, Camille Paglia, Canada, Carole Lombard, Cate Blanchett, Charlotte Bronte, Charlotte Rampling, China, Diane Keaton, Dolly Parton, Drew Barrymore, Ellen von Unwerth, England, Eve Babitz, France, Frances Farmer, Gena Rowlands, George Eliot, Georgia, Germany, Gloria Grahame, Golshifteh Farahani, Greta Garbo, Greta Gerwig, Harriet Andersson, Hediyeh Tehrani, Hong Kong, Ida Lupino, Ingrid Thulin, Iran, Ireland, Isabelle Huppert, Italy, Janet Malcolm, Japan, Jean Arthur, Jeanette Winterson, Jill Clayburgh, Joan Crawford, Joan Didion, Joanna Hogg, Josephine Decker, Judy Garland, Julie Christie, Kate Lyn Sheil, Keri Hulme, Kristen Stewart, Kristen Wiig, L.M. Montgomery, Laura Dern, Laurette Taylor, Leila Hatami, Lily Tomlin, Liv Ullmann, Madeleine L'Engle, Madeline Kahn, Maggie Cheung, Marianne Moore, Marilyn Monroe, Martha Graham, Mary Oliver, Maud Gonne, Mélanie Laurent, Mia Hansen-Løve, Nancy Savoca, Natalie Portman, Nina Hoss, Nina Simone, Olivia Laing, Olympia Dukakis, Patricia Highsmith, Pauline Kael, photography, Poland, Rebecca West, Romania, Rosalind Russell, Russia, Sandrine Bonnaire, Shabnam Toloui, Shirley Jackson, Sophia Takal, South Korea, Spain, Supernatural, Sweden, Tana French, Taraneh Alidoosti, The Netherlands, Tiffany Haddish, Tina Turner, Tuesday Weld, Wanda Jackson, women directors | 96 Comments

February 2023 Viewing Diary

Posted on March 6, 2023 by sheila

Reboot (2022) Allison and I watched it together when I was in New York for the first half of this month. I adore this series and am so bummed it wasn’t picked up for Season 2. We had a blast … Continue reading →

Posted in Monthly Viewing Diary, Movies, Television | Tagged Alfred Hitchcock, Aline MacMahon, Aubrey Plaza, Australia, Barbara Stanwyck, biopic, Boris Karloff, Brad Pitt, Busby Berkeley, Charlotte Bronte, comedy, Douglas Sirk, drama, Emily Bronte, England, France, Fred MacMurray, Ginger Rogers, Gold Diggers of 1933, Greta Garbo, Hugh Grant, Hungary, Ireland, Joan Blondell, Joan Crawford, John Barrymore, Leonardo DiCaprio, Loretta Young, Madonna, Mervyn LeRoy, musical, noir, Pre-Code, Quentin Tarantino, reviews, William Powell, William Wellman, women directors | 18 Comments

“I wasn’t born an actress, you know. Events made me one.” — Jean Harlow

Posted on March 3, 2023 by sheila

Today is Jean Harlow’s birthday. Here is a discussion Mitchell and I had about her. The setup of the conversation (an ongoing series): I throw names of famous people at Mitchell, and ask him to describe each person in only … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day | Tagged Carole Lombard, Goldie Hawn, Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, Julia Roberts, Mae West, Marilyn Monroe, Shelley Winters | 13 Comments

“My philosophy is that to be a director you cannot be subject to anyone, even the head of the studio. I threatened to quit each time I didn’t get my way, but no one ever let me walk out.” — Dorothy Arzner

Posted on January 3, 2023 by sheila

It’s her birthday today. I have written quite a bit about her films here, mainly one of my favorites, Merrily We Go to Hell, a superb drama about a marriage gone terribly wrong, starring Sylvia Sidney and Fredric March in … Continue reading →

Posted in Directors, Movies, On This Day | Tagged Clara Bow, Dorothy Arzner, Joan Crawford, Katharine Hepburn, Lucille Ball, Maureen O'Hara, Rosalind Russell, women directors | 4 Comments

Happy Birthday, Claude Rains

Posted on November 10, 2022 by sheila

For Claude Rains’ birthday: a conversation some years back, where Mitchell and I discuss the superb actor. I asked Mitchell to describe him in one word, and we took it from there. We both love Rains so much, it was … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day | Tagged Bette Davis, Cary Grant, Claude Rains, Joan Crawford, Meryl Streep | 10 Comments

“I hope I’ll die on stage at the age at 105, playing Peter Pan.” — Joan Fontaine

Posted on October 22, 2022 by sheila

A re-post of the tribute I wrote about Joan Fontaine when she died in December of 2013. She almost made it to her goal. She was 96 years old. It’s her birthday today. While filming “The Women”, in 1939, Joan … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day | Tagged Joan Crawford, Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, Olivia de Havilland, Rosalind Russell | 25 Comments

I’m not sure, but I think Jean-Luc Godard loves Johnny Guitar

Posted on December 21, 2021 by sheila

Pierrot le Fou (1965) La Chinoise (1967) Weekend (1967) And what’s not to love, really. Been on a Godard kick this month. The December viewing diary may be rather monotonous because of it, but it’s been super fun – even … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged France, Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Joan Crawford, Johnny Guitar, Nicholas Ray | Leave a comment

Set decoration as character: The Best of Everything

Posted on September 22, 2021 by sheila

Book editor Joan Crawford in her magnificent blue penthouse-apartment kitchen in The Best of Everything (one of the primary inspirations for Mad Men). There are so many mid-century-design details here (and in every scene), but I love the two book … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged drama, Joan Crawford | 2 Comments

Tag Archives: Joan Crawford

“If you want to see the girl next door, go next door.” – Joan Crawford

For International Women’s Day: Ladies I Love

February 2023 Viewing Diary

“I wasn’t born an actress, you know. Events made me one.” — Jean Harlow

“My philosophy is that to be a director you cannot be subject to anyone, even the head of the studio. I threatened to quit each time I didn’t get my way, but no one ever let me walk out.” — Dorothy Arzner

Happy Birthday, Claude Rains

“I hope I’ll die on stage at the age at 105, playing Peter Pan.” — Joan Fontaine

I’m not sure, but I think Jean-Luc Godard loves Johnny Guitar

Set decoration as character: The Best of Everything

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