RICK'S REAL/REEL LIFE: Norma Shearer

Thursday, May 5, 2022

Joan Crawford Wows as One of ‘The Women’

Joan Crawford chose the supporting, unsympathetic part of Crystal Allen in
"The Women" to prove she was a serious actress and that she also wasn't washed up.

By 1939, Joan Crawford was already considered a film veteran. The film legend had swiftly risen to stardom after her start at MGM in January, 1925. Our Dancing Daughters made Joan a breakout star in ‘28. Crawford came in at the tail end of the silent era and soared into the talkies with flying colors. Movie goers loved Crawford in movies that mirrored her own rags to riches story. They adored Joan in films that teamed her with fellow working class movie hero, Clark Gable. Fans enjoyed this ultimate movie star wearing extravagant film fashions by Adrian.

Joan Crawford with MGM's L.B. "Papa" Mayer.

There were very few missteps in MGM’s plan for Crawford’s movie stardom. As a Brit in Today We Live and non-directed as overstated Sadie Thompson in Rain, Joan was outside her comfort zone. But what got Crawford rather unfairly labeled “box office poison” in ’39 was Metro’s casting Joan in roles that became too similar and overemphasized her Adrian costumes.

...as Crystal Allen in "The Women."

Joan Crawford deserves props for realizing that she was typecast as Metro’s favorite mannequin and actively sought out the juicy bad girl role of Crystal Allen in 1939’s The Women. Interestingly, playwright Clare Boothe Luce did not consider her creation of Crystal as unsympathetic. Actually, Crystal is a hardball version of Crawford’s working class girls.

Director George Cukor and the all-female cast of "The Women."

The Women was a big hit and boosted the career of all its stars: Norma Shearer played an accessible modern role after several heavy dramas; Rosalind Russell got a game changer role here as a raucous comedic bitch; Paulette Goddard was glam and down to earth funny; Joan Fontaine got her first substantial role; and Marjorie Main reprised her stage role which led to an MGM contract. And Mary Boland was perhaps the biggest scene stealer, as the much-married Countess. The Women also proved that Joan Crawford could be taken seriously as an actress. Yet, while Joan won some better roles at MGM, it was an uphill struggle and Crawford left MGM after 18 years in 1943.

Joan Crawford's feline body language as predatory Crystal Allen in "The Women."

As Crystal, Crawford shows a flair for bitchy quips and her body language as the predatory shop girl is alluring. I also enjoy how Joan’s mantrap goes from her usual cultivated “MGM English,” when on her best behavior, to Crawford’s natural Texas working-class tones when Crystal bares her fangs and snarls.

Crawford gets to comically spar with both Rosalind Russell’s nosy Sylvia Fowler and fellow shop girl Virginia Grey, and both verbal jousts are a hoot. In their big confrontation scene, Joan zings cutting comments at noble Norma Shearer, whom Crawford envied for her unofficial title as MGM’s queen. Norma’s Mary Haines is so insufferably pious that you actually root for Joan’s Crystal. These two opposing characters were certainly an inspiration to those latter day Dynasty wives, good Krystle and bad Alexis, I’m sure.

Two of MGM's great profiles, Crawford & Shearer, square off in "The Women."

What’s surprising is that Joan has only has four scenes in The Women. Crawford makes her entrance just past the 30 minute mark. But they are extended set pieces and she makes the most of them. The first is when Crawford’s Crystal offers acerbic customer service to Mary Haines’ “friends,” who are checking out the competition. All the while, Crystal spars with fellow shop girl Virginia Grey, while taking a call from married beau Stephen Haines.

Joan Crawford & Roz Russell make great frenemies in "The Women."
Off-screen, they were friends.

It is 20 minutes later with the salon dressing room stand-off, between scheming shop girl Crystal and naïve society wife Mary Haines. The second half of the film begins two years later, with Crystal as now unhappily married to Stephen Haines. Here, Roz Russell’s gossip and Crawford’s Crystal strike a fair-weather alliance. Then there’s the finale, when Crystal’s shenanigans are exposed and Crawford gets the classic kiss-off line. It’s a testament to Crawford’s vivid performance that Crystal Allen stays in audiences’ minds even when she’s not on-screen.

Nearly all of Joan's scenes were with fellow MGM stars Norma Shearer & Roz Russell.

Crawford plays the tough side straight with no winks to the audience as she did in some of her later bitch roles. Director George Cukor was on game here and both Crawford and Russell credit him with some sharp insights and bits of business for their characters. The only criticism I have is that fashion plate Crawford got a bit of a makeover for The Women and it’s not entirely flattering. While Joan sports a fine figure in Adrian’s flashy fashions as crass Crystal, Crawford sports a tight perm and penciled eyebrows. This change makes Crawford look hard and while it works for the character, I don’t think the result was intentional.

"My dear friend Elsa Lanchester recommended this perm!"

The Women was an all-star, all-women film and it’s a feast for witty dialogue, great performances, glamour, and star-watching. And Joan Crawford deserves applause for going out on a limb and playing Crystal Allen superbly no-holds barred.