Of all the Classic Hollywood stars, nobody suffered such complete and utter posthumous humiliation like Joan Crawford. Surely, she was not the only person whose image and screen persona were artificially designed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer - it could be said that this was a very standard procedure back in the day - but all her lifelong efforts to present herself as a elegant, classy lady were irreparably damaged in 1978. (just one year after her death) when notoriously, her adopted daughter Christina Crawford exposed her as a manic, abusive personality who mentally and physically tortured her children when outside of media attention. That in all of this, Christina herself appeared selfish and opportunistic, almost didn't matter - audience lapped up the autobiography "Mommie Dearest" (later made into a famous movie) and ever since, whatever Crawford did during her lifetime, her 50+ years in cinema, is eclipsed by the trashy tell-all book by spiteful, disinherited daughter.
Because she was a huge star in her time, there are many books written about Crawford - from the top of my head I recall excellent "The Divine Feud" by Shaun Considine (based on lifelong rivalry of Crawford and Bette Davis) and "Possessed : the life of Joan Crawford" by Donald Spoto - outside of posthumous scandal, Crawford is known for amazing longevity in a famously fickle and unpredictable industry, where she somehow managed to grown and mature from 1920s Flapper girl into high fashion beauty and later, elderly but still magnetic lady. I do need to focus more on her filmography, because for some reason I remember only "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" and there were tons of excellent (?) movies before that, I think I vaguely remember delightful 1930s "The Women" and 1950s "Autumn Leaves" - even without knowing anything about her, one is intrigued with total artificiality of her screen personae, where contrary to Bette Davis (who was always totally immersed in her acting), Crawford appears so knowingly self-aware of every moment, her over-the-top demeanour inviting all kind of conclusions and interpretations. There was a curious moment when director Robert Aldrich decided to break her classy lady routine and gave her a spiteful dialogue to scream in "Autumn Leaves", almost as he instinctively knew what lies under the surface: ""Where's your decency? In what garbage dump, Mr. Hanson? And where's yours, you tramp?...You, his loving, doting, fraud of a father. And you, you SLUT! You're both so consumed with evil! So rotten! Your filthy souls are too evil for hell itself!"
"Crawford: The last years" is a lovingly written, affectionate memoir written by Columbia Pictures editor Carl Johnes as a reaction to malicious "Mommie Dearest" (published a year earlier) in attempt to show a different side of Crawford that he himself witnessed trough the years of their personal friendship.These were Crawford's autumn years where she slowly but surely disappeared from public life and only occasionally invited guests in her apartment for the rounds of backgammon - for whatever reason, Crawford took a shine to young Johnes and enjoyed his attention, inviting him over and over again until they bonded in mutual affection. Sure, the point could be made that Crawford presented herself as she always wanted - immaculately poised, generous and stylish, not the face that her step children saw - and Johnes is well aware that she always took great efforts to play the star for him. Still, its refreshing to read something positive about Crawford, after all the public humiliation and somewhere between the lines there is a portrait of lonely and elderly beauty still craving affection and attention.
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