Joan Crawford IS ‘Harriet Craig’ 1950 (2024)

In 1950's "Harriet Craig," that Ming vase moves around more than a planchette on a Ouija board, much to her consternation! Joan Crawford calls it a 'vah-z.'

HarrietCraig is a 1950 remake of George Kelly's Pulitzer Prize winningplay Craig's Wife. It had been filmedas a 1928 silent with Irene Rich and again in '36 with Rosalind Russell as thehouse-proud witch of a wife. Columbia borrowed WB director Vincent Sherman andstar Joan Crawford for this version. Sherman had just directed Joan Crawford togood effect in 1950’s The Damned Don'tCry. They would also team for Goodbye,My Fancy directly after Harriet Craig.

My take on "Harriet Craig" is part of this blogathon May 15-17!

Wendell Corey plays Walter Craig, whipped hubby of "Harriet Craig." Two guesses as what he'd like to do with his wife's prized Ming!

I'm not sure whyKelly's play won the Pulitzer, especially from today's standpoint. The story ofa warped woman who cares for her home like a museum, with a husband that shetreats like a pet, is watchable, doesn't offer much back story in the '36version. Craig’s Wife is only onehour and 15 minutes, as well as the silent version, so I can only assume theplay was the same. Harriet Craig is95 minutes, but feels more in-depth as the film focuses solely on her. The ’36version’s supporting characters are so truncated that they barely get more thanone scene. Rosalind Russell was considered too young for Harriet Craig. Why Idon't know, because the character is supposed to be newly married and whosehusband wants children. The stage actresses who played Harriet were older andso was Joan Crawford. Russell and John Boles do well as the ‘30s Craigs, andRoz gives a controlled performance, not going over the top as she could do laterin her career.

Rosalind Russell, a year younger than Crawford, played "Craig's Wife" in 1936.

Along with JoanCrawford as Harriet Craig, Wendell Corey is affable Walter Craig, K.T. Stevensplays Harriet’s cousin Clare, Ellen Corby is nervous maid Lottie, Viola Roacheis housekeeper Mrs. Harold, Allyn Joslyn is Billy Birkmire, William Bishop isClare’s beau Wes, and Lucile Watson is the boss’ wife. Vincent Sherman, anunderrated WB director, does a smooth and stylish job here. Sheila O’Brien (intentionally?)gives Crawford’s costumes a severe uniform-type look.

Tempest in a tea cup: "Harriet Craig" berates maid Lottie for breaking a cup, then the housekeeper for defending her. No surprise that Harriet can't keep help!

Some film fans andcritics think that the book and film version of Mommie Dearest borrowed from Joan's latter day films such as Harriet Craig. I can see that, but thefact is studios often blurred their stars' images with reality. MGM divas especiallyseemed to star in vehicles that mirrored their own lives: Joan, Judy, Lana, andLiz come to mind.

Joan Crawford as "Harriet Craig." In this scene, I half expected her to sprout fangs!

And though Harriet Craig follows the basicstructure as Craig's Wife, JoanCrawford’s she-devil is in the details. HarrietCraig opens with her household in a dither, because she is making anunexpected trip. Joan's Harriet has a younger woman as her girl Friday to doher bidding. Here, it's not a loyal servant, but her cousin Clare. Joan’s “MGMEnglish” is on full display when she calls her Clar-uh. Everything is not going Harriet’s way, so she is brittleand bossy. Mrs. Craig must have her make-upkit and cousin along for a week's visit. No, Harriet’s not promoting a film orPepsi, but visiting her mother at a mental institution. Hubby Walter comes homeearly, despite an important project, yet Harriet gives him her patentedpassive/aggressive browbeatingabout how she must make do for herself,asking where he’s bean. This is thecouple's first separation in nearly four years of marriage. Can Mr. Craig survivea week on his own? He's almost 40, with his childhood housekeeper to help, plusa maid. Most importantly, there’s Harriet to check up on him.

Joan as "Harriet Craig," bringing gifts to her mother in an institution. Neurotic Harriet could use a visit there, herself!

At the asylum, the motheris sweet but unresponsive to Harriet's fervid attentions. Though it seems likeHarriet just arrived, supposedly a week has gone by before Harriet talks to thedirector. Harriet seems uncomfortable talking about her family's dysfunction.In a speech that seems lifted from Crawford’s own life, Harriet bitterlyrecounts the father that left them and how she had to quit school and work in alaundry.Afterward, Harriet finds out from Clare that nobody seems to beat the Craig abode, and immediately decides to leave. On the train, Clareconfides of her crush on Walter’s work pal, Wes. Harriet explains to her nieceabout her way of married life: men are to be “trained,” not trusted. Crawfordand K.T. Stevens, who clearly look their age at age 44 and 31, are at odds withtheir characters’ situations in life. Harriet took her cousin Clare in when herparents died. So, when did she take herin? Stevens, mature in style, seems foolish as the naïve young thing. Joan’sHarriet, talking about her four year marriage with Walter makes one wonder whatshe did with the other two decades of her life!

When Cousin Clare can't reach anybody at the Craig house, Harriet decides to bail on visiting Mother, and high-tail it back home. From 1950's "Harriet Craig."

Why any actress wouldwant to play this unrelenting shrew, in an ultimately pointless story, isbeyond me. That Joan Crawford sought this role out is strange. Even by 1950,her demand for perfection and order was well-known and part of her persona. Didshe think Harriet Craig was just ajuicy role? Or was Joan Crawford drawn to the role because it spoke to her ownexperience?

When Mr. & Mrs. Craig finally have it out, wife Harriet's rationale hardly rates any sympathy for her hard-bitten character. Joan Crawford as "Harriet Craig."

Once director Shermanand star Joan were on board, some Crawford-isms were added to the mix. Wheneveryone’s flying around in a tizz to get Harriet off to the train station, youhalf expect to see Joan’s real maid Mamacita run in with the tissue paper forpacking clothes. Perfectly packed and on schedule made me think of Crawford’slate-life book, My Way of Life. Onceshe’s gone, beleaguered maid Lottie comments that Harriet’s not particular,she’s peculiar. The maid says that Harriet would wrap up her entire house incellophane, which made me think of Joan’s later plastic covered furniture, curtains,and plastic flowers!

When Hurricane "Harriet Craig" is out of the help's hair, they can let down their hair!

Harriet Craigis officially the film where Joan began to look hard. While a little of itcreeps up in Flamingo Road and The Damned Don’t Cry (looking good, buttoo old for these roles), Harriet Craigfinds Joan looking quite forbidding. The make-up mask is pronounced and wouldbecome even more exaggerated throughout the ‘50s. Shoulder pads and severetailored clothes were on their way out, but not for Crawford. Joan had manyunflattering short hairdos through the ensuing decade, but Harriet Craig had the worst hair: short, slicked, with tiny littlewaves that made her like Bob’s Big Boy. A shame, since Joan sported a trimfigure and superb bone structure here.

You'd make this face, if you had this hair do! As the title character in 1950's "Harriet Craig," this is possibly the worst hair do of Joan Crawford's film career.

Who wore the hair best? Bob's "Big Boy" or "Harriet Craig?"

Crawford’sHarriet smiles maybe twice, both times to cajole her husband. The rest of thetime Joan’s unhappy housewife gives everyone the deep freeze with her grim maskof disapproval. Allan Joslyn as playboy pal of Harriet’s hubby gets to reacthilariously to her disdain. You want to stand up and applaud when thehousekeeper finally tells her off. And the big moment is when Harriet’s husbandfinally has had it with Harriet’s lies and manipulations.

Joan Crawford as "Harriet Craig." Here, the housewife from hell makes hubby's pal feel sooo welcome!

In a rare moment of levity, Allyn Joslyn comically melts under the withering gaze of Joan Crawford's "Harriet Craig."

WithJoan’s other ‘50s bitch roles, they are campy enough where you can enjoy themon several levels, amused when nobody gets the better of Joan at her bitchiest,like Torch Song, Queen Bee, or Female on theBeach. But there’s not humor here, just exhaustion, from that piece of work,Harriet Craig.

The hard makeup, severe hair style, and uniform-style costumes suggest many things, but not an upper middle class housewife! Joan Crawford as "Harriet Craig."

Yoursympathies are toward the servants as they are sent packing. Even the naïvecousin cannot avoid seeing Harriet’s lies and packs it in. And finally, WalterCraig finds out one manipulative lie too many and their marriage is as beyondrepair as Harriet’s priceless Ming vase—sorry—vah-z. By the way, Crawford’s longtime pal, actor turned designerBilly Haines designed Harriet’s home, which is why it looks like a mid-century moviestar temple!

Joan Crawford as "Harriet Craig." Here, she cooks up one of her most manipulative schemes. That's K.T. Stevens as Cousin Clare, foot servant to Harriet!

Asidefrom the drill sergeant precision with which Harriet runs her home, neither shenor its occupants are ever at ease. Harriet also makes time to manipulate otherpeople’s lives, if it helps her maintain the status quo in hers. She brands thewidow neighbor as a flirty schemer. When Walter gets a work-related stint inJapan, Harriet throws her hubby under the bus to get his boss to have him stayhome. Harriet also lies about Walter’s co-worker, who is serious about Clare.As the housekeeper wryly says to the maid, if Clare left, Harriet would onlyhave two servants! This movie couldhave been called All About Harriet.

The few times Joan Crawford cracks a smile as "Harriet Craig" is when her character is manipulating husband Walter, genially played by Wendell Corey.

WatchingHarriet act out every time something goes outside her rigid game plan is causefor drama: hubby’s late night card game in her absence; a broken tea cup; a dinnerguest who asks to play cards with her husband; and many other actions that shesees as offenses.

Lucile Watson's a delight as the wife of Walter Craig's boss. Here, she cheats at cards and throws off the regimented party plan of "Harriet Craig." With Wendell Corey.

Harriet Craigis worth a watch once. Joan Crawford certainly gives her all, as usual. This Harriet is totally about Joan and shemakes the most of it. Sadly, it doesn’t feel like Crawford the film goddess isonly acting as the domineering domestic goddess. Wendell Corey, who could playboth good and bad guys well, is most genial and likeable here. He also had themost piercing blue eyes, very effective for dramatic scenes. As Walter Craig,he is most adoring and doting toward his wife. The supporting cast is verygood, as each of them tangle with Harriet, and flee. Lucile Watson is a delightas usual, as the boss’ wife who has Harriet’s number.

Joan Crawford as "Harriet Craig." In mid-career, Joan seemed to have staircase showdowns with younger actresses. At least K.T. Stevens doesn't get slapped!

WhileHarriet Craig did modestly at the boxoffice, I can’t imagine why post-WWII audiences would have flocked to see a 40-somethingstar playing a domineering dame in a sterile soap opera. Harriet Craig is more a Crawford curiosity than a camp classic.

Here’smy in-depth look at Crawford’s career best: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2020/03/how-joan-crawford-became-mildred-pierce.html

"A chair is still a chair, even when there's no one sitting there." The finale of "Harriet Craig," when she's finally driven everybody out of her house, including her husband.