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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Silly But Fun Cinderella Story,
By
This review is from: The Bride Wore Red [VHS] (VHS Tape)
This was made right around the time Crawford was labelled "Box Office Poison", and Joan seems appropriately humbled in her role as a lower class dancehall girl (her character was a prostitute in the story this is based on). The storyline is practically on the level of a fairy tale, and I think it would be a better movie if it had been directed as one. Directer Dorothy Arzner doesn't seem to know whether she is making her movie for adults or moonstruck teenage girls. But because Crawford always gives 100%, the somewhat uneasy result is still worth watching. Those who just watch her films to gaze at her unbelievable bone structure will not be disapointed here--she is photographed beautifully and lovingly--almost as if the film makers were struggling to compensate for the threadbare plot by supplying an overabundance of Crawford's physical appeal! Sporting a sleek, long hairstyle that is unusually becoming on her, Joan looks very modern in this. Only a few years before "Mildred Pierce", Joan still has something of her former girlishness here, and has some nice moments. Her song "Who Wants Love", while overlong, flatters her voice more than her singing usually does, and I always think that she looks somehow like the dead girl from "Nightmare Before Christmas" as she's singing it. I think they were trying to make her look slightly pale and circley-eyed to denote someone who never sees the sun, but she almost looks like a zombie! (albeit a glamorous one). Soon enough, Joan is in furs and Adrian gowns though, as she is sent to a luxury hotel by a millionaire for no apparent reason other than to see if she can pass herself off as a lady. Think "My Fair Lady" with half of the plot removed! Crawford performs wonderfully in a scene where she recognizes her chambermaid as a former dancehall friend--the two women giggle girlishly, embrace and chatter most convincingly, and it saddens me to see Joan this good in a movie no one will see! Of course, she does have her stagey moments too, but any fan of Crawfords will hardly be put off by that! Although this movie is technically a misfire, I would have to say it's in my top 10 Crawford films because she is so lovely and interesting in it. She really rises above the material and creates a performance that is fun to watch.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
That scandalous red dress,
By Silver Screen (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Bride Wore Red [VHS] (VHS Tape)
"The Bride Wore Red", is MGM's 1937 Joan Crawford film, with Ms. Crawford as Anni, a cabaret singer (in the original play, a prostitute)in Italy who meets a wealthy man (George Zukko) one evening who is convinced that luck is the only thing guiding who is rich and who is poor. He offers to test his theory with Anni as his guinea pig and she accepts, heading off to a fancy resort for two weeks and masquerading as a socialite, while the dashing Count introduces her among high society, planning to expose her cover at the end of the intended two weeks.
Anni meets Rudi (Robert Montgomery), a young wealthy gentleman who is engaged to Maddelena (Lynne Carver) but quickly falls head over heels for Anni and is ready to ditch his intended. In the meantime, Anni also meets Guilio (Franchot Tone), the local postman and an all around good guy whose only fault seems to be that he's a simple man. While we intuitively know that Guilio is the man for Anni, it takes her the entire film to figure it out. But we are treated to beautiful scenery as she rendevous with Rudi, and spends some unintended time with Guilio. It's interesting that this was the film that got Crawford branded as Box Office Poison back in 1938. Overall, the film is quite entertaining and certainly no worse than some other MGM-Crawford offerings. The film is ably directed by Dorothy Arzner and Crawford even sings competently. She is dressed to the nines in this film, including in the aforementioned red dress. She is photographed to perfection, and her real life chemistry with Franchot Tone (her husband at the time of the film) is apparent. Robert Montgomery, her frequent co-star in the MGM days, is reliable as always - - although Montgomery always seemed more at home in slightly comedic roles versus those as the dapper gentleman. Although the film was not a success at the time of its release, everything seems to come together and work fairly well. For Crawford fans, the film is a treat of singing, beautiful gowns and the lovely Crawford herself. A fun Cinderella story with a rags to riches theme and a basic message of not judging a book by its cover.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful scenery, beautiful actors, not-so-good story,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Bride Wore Red [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Set in the mountains of Italy, this romantic drama about what can make someone happy stars Joan Crawford, who must decide between a life as a postman's wife with Franchot Tone or a stable, wealthy life with Robert Young. Tone has the best lines, and Young acts very well. Sometimes I got a little confused as to what Crawford was trying to do with her role--who she loved--but that was also part of the plot. A little contrived at times, it dwells heavily on class differences and the inability to change who you are.
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