Possessed

     Tonight's feature on the Late Show is the 1947 classic "Possessed".  Joan Crawford continued her hot streak with this somewhat disturbing tale of a woman who is obsessed with  her ex-lover and on the brink of insanity because of it.  "Possessed" is a classic but slightly underrated noir that's just as good as "The Damned Don't Cry" or "Mildred Pierce", if you ask me.  Joan is riveting here- you cannot take your eyes off the sight of Crawford slowly descending into madness.  Her performance,  and a crackling and sharp script, all help make this an extremely entertaining noir classic.  Strong support from Van Heflin and Raymond Massey certainly doesn't hurt either.

      Joan plays Louise Howell, who's a nurse for the ailing and bitchy Mrs. Graham, a wealthy recluse who dies suddenly and mysteriously.  However, her widower, Grant, asks Louise to stay on after his wife's death and marry him.  Yet Carol, the daughter, hates Louise and blames her for the death of her invalid mother.  On top of all this, Louise once met the Graham's neighbor, David Sutton (Van Heflin), and had an affair.  David decides to end it, devastating Louise, who slowly and surely loses her mind over it.

 

       Once again directed by Curtis Bernhardt, "Possessed" is a soapy and stylish film noir that's got some nice twists and turns and bristles along snappily.  Crawford simply acts the hell out of this role, and I've never understood why it doesn't get more attention.  It's solid, it knows exactly where it's going, and it takes you along with it. Joan runs the gamut of emotions here- she was clearly campaigning for another Oscar after her triumphant win for "Mildred Pierce" before- and dare I say that she's slightly underrated as an actress?  She's stunning here, and it's impossible not to have a good time with "Possessed".  Crawford was a true pro and a true star, and this is a perfect example of her indomitable star quality.  Not to mention being a camp lover's delight.  This is one of my favorite Crawford films.

Flamingo Road

         Joan Crawford plays Lane Bellamy, a gal from the wrong side of the tracks.  A carnival dancer/cooch wiggler who finds herself stuck in a small, southern, politically corrupt town, she soon develops a relationship with the sheriff of the small town,  and decides she likes the small-town life.  There's only one problem, though.  The slimy head sheriff, deliciously played by Sydney Greenstreet, wants her out of town.  This is the kind of role Crawford was born to play, and besides the fact that Joan is a bit too old for her part, "Flamingo Road" is still ridiculously entertaining.
     Wonderfully film-noir with crackling dialoge, "Flamingo Road" was made during Joan's peak years.  Hot off "Mildred Pierce" and "The Damned Don't Cry", this is a worthy follow-up effort.  With Joan taking on political corruption in a small, Southern town- it's impossible not to enjoy this.  Besides Crawford in her peak years, the always welcome Sydney Greenstreet plays a memorably corpulent and evil villain.  Amazing that at 45, Crawford could still pull off a role like this, and probably do it in her sleep if asked.  Always riveting, she commands attention, dominating every scene she's in.  But that's just business as usual for Joan.   "Flamingo Road" would even inspire the short-lived but infamous 80's series, starring Stella Stevens and Morgan Fairchild.  Even if you're not a fan of Joan Crawford, it's hard not to get sucked into a film like "Flamingo Road".

Mildred Pierce

     Joan Crawford won her first and only Oscar in 1945 with "Mildred Pierce", a deliciously watchable film-noir/mystery/soap opera.  The movie opens with the murder of a slimy lounge lizard, Monte Beragon.  Upon dying, he croaks a single word, "Mildred".  This begins the mystery of "Mildred Pierce".  Joan Crawford delivers a sensational performance as Mildred, proving once and for all that she was an actress to be reckoned with.

     Joan plays a woman who leaves her philandering husband and makes a life for herself and her two daughers- the oldest being a cold-hearted, spoiled bitch played to icy perfection by Ann Blyth.  This is classic film-noir- add up the top notch acting, spectacular cinematography, lighting, and sets, and you've got a great way to spend a rainy afternoon.  Possibly Crawford's finest performance, "Mildred Pierce" is an Oscar-winning classic that also boasts a sparkling supporting performance by Eve Arden.

Sunset Boulevard

A dead Hollywood writer is found floating in the pool of an aging Hollywood mansion.  Thus begins the great noir classic "Sunset Boulevard"...

     One of the greatest film-noir movies of all time, Billy Wilder's dark and moldy "Sunset Boulevard" is Hollywood at its most daring. Wilder was one of the greatest directors of the period, and it's easy to see why. Gloria Swanson gives one of the most unforgettable performances ever in the fabulously morbid film, which is a snide and scathing look at old Hollywood.  Her Norma Desmond is larger than life, over the top, and completely sensational.  Hunky William Holden holds his own against the lioness that is Swanson.

     Crisp, iconic dialogue and direction, plus fantastic black and white photography help solidify its classic status.  It's gloriously over the top and lurid.  Full of memorably strange scenes, with some almost chilling at times, "Sunset Boulevard" is fascinating considering the light, fluffy films coming out of Hollywood at the time.  This move has balls, and big ones.  It's a dark and cynical look at how Hollywood treats its royalty once they reach a certain age- and what people will desperately do to remain in the spotlight.

     How they even released this movie in the first place is mind-boggling- it's so ahead of it's time.  Swanson's portrayal of Norma Desmond is the stuff of legend, and surely one of the greatest female acting feats on film.  You cannot take your eyes off of her when she's on the screen. She is smashing in the role and her performance is not only brilliant, but high camp as well.

     The film went on  to accumulate 11 Academy Award nominations, winning 3.  "Sunset Boulevard" also introduced the iconic line "I'm ready for my closeup , Mr. DeMille" to pop culture.  It was one of the first films to be selected for preservation in the National Film Registry and ranked #12 on the American Film Institute's 100 Best American Films of the 20th century.  A wonderfully weird film-noir classic!

Vertigo

     A retired detective, Scottie Ferguson, who suffers from a paralyzing fear of heights, is called to follow an old school chum's wife and her strange actions.  Ferguson soon finds himself falling in love with her, but this is no ordinary love story.  Scottie becomes entangled in a dark, dangerous web of deceit and obsession.

     "Vertigo" is one of the most exquisitely made movies in history.  Filmed like a fever dream, Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece is a triumph of cinema.  Almost lost forever, it's been painstakingly remastered, and the picture and sound quality are nothing short of astonishing. It's dark, haunting, and hypnotic- there is just something about this movie that gets under your skin. It still has an effect on me, and I've seen it way too many times to count.

     To give away anything about this movie is a crime- trust me, it just needs to be seen.  Part of a string of outstanding movies made by the master of suspense, "Vertigo" is such a classic that I get a bit tongue-tied just trying to talk about it.  I'm such a Hitchcock junkie that I can never find anything bad to say about any of his movies, much less "Vertigo".  Unbelievably, this was a huge flop when it was first released in 1958- how this is possible is beyond me.  James Stewart delivers the performance of a lifetime here.  It's almost hard to imagine good ole' American Stewart in such a dark role, but he pulls it off beautifully.  Kim Novak is also unforgettable- she doesn't even speak until almost an hour into the film, yet she immediately makes a lasting impression.

      Hitchcock mixes a complicated story, lavish visual detail, Bernard Hermann's unearthly and mysterious score, tension stretched almost to the point of discomfort, incredible San Fransisco locations and unbelievable matte shots to make a movie that's simply astonishing.  The restoration edition DVD  is a must-have, and the documentary detailing the movie's restoration is completely and utterly fascinating.  Honestly, I could blab all night about "Vertigo", or you could just watch it for yourself and hopefully fall under its mysterious and enchanting spell.

Valley Of the Dolls

      Grand, kitschy, hilarious- what's not to love about 1967's gloriously over-the-top "Valley Of the Dolls"?  A trashy, campy soap based on  Jacqueline Susann's ground-breaking novel, with performances that simply must be seen to be believed.  Severely diluted for the big screen, the movie does lose a lot of the gritty novel's impact, ultimately becoming nothing like the original novel.  However, having said all of that, the film is an unintentional laugh riot- Patty Duke, Susan Hayward, and Lee Grant devour any and all scenery around them and all come across as raging drag queens in the process.  Duke is certainly a sight to behold as the self-destructive Neely O'Hara, a talented young singer/actress who soon becomes hooked on booze and 'dolls' (pills).  Her massive train wreck of a performance is definitely a highlight of the film.   Barbara Parkins come across as a Stepford wife, while Susan Hayward brays, bellows, and screams, along with having her wig thrown in a toilet.  And the fact that Sharon Tate became a victim of the Manson Family at the time of release sadly solidified its camp status.

      As quotable and fun as "Mommie Dearest", "Valley of the Dolls" is a rollicking good time and compulsively watchable stuff- you know the whole time it's terrible, and it sure is great. It contains some of the most ludicrous dialogue and contrived situations ever filmed for a serious drama, and that is why fans so fervently love this movie.  Judy Garland was originally considered for the part that eventually went to Susan Hayward, and one can only imagine what Judy could have done with the part.  Nowhere near as racy as it could have been- those of us who have read the book know what was left out of the film version.  But it doesn't matter.  This is one of the greatest camp classics of all time, and along with beautiful cinematography, glamorous 1960's hair and fashion, sublime 60's artistic montages, and Dionne Warwick warbling the title tune, how in the world can you go wrong? Trashy, scandalous, and unintentionally hilarious.
 "Boobies, boobies, boobies!  Nothin' but boobies!"