Torch Song (1953) VHS ~ Peter Chong  (12)

Sudden Fear DVD ~ Joan Crawford  (57)  $26.99

Mildred Pierce (Keepcase) DVD ~ Joan Crawford  (105)  $14.99

Sadie Mckee VHS ~ Joan Crawford  (11)

Johnny Guitar VHS ~ Joan Crawford  (28)

› Explore similar items : Movies & TV (33) Video (15)

Amazon.com essential video
Joan Crawford portrays the most demure, well-spoken refugee from a busted-down carnival you've ever seen--but that doesn't mean she can't get tough when events warrant, and eventually, events do indeed warrant in this crisply shot 1949 black-and-white, post-Casablanca melodrama from director Michael Curtiz.

Crawford plays Lane Bellamy, who falls hard for Fielding Carlisle (Zachary Scott), who reciprocates but is being groomed for big things by wheezing political boss Titus (Sydney Greenstreet), who has no use for carny trash. Both Bellamy and Carlisle venture into loveless marriages, and Carlisle turns to drink, while Lane's subsequent husband (David Brian) is even higher on a greasy if not well-oiled political ladder ("I've got a soul that needs a lot of purging," he tells Lane). Interestingly, the film simply accepts politics as soulless and corrupt, as if there's any other kind.

Besides its still-fresh political cynicism, what keeps the film interesting is the showdowns between Crawford and Greenstreet, who both give performances representative of their distinguished careers. Crawford fairly hisses at the corpulent Greenstreet, "You just wouldn't believe how much trouble it is to get rid of a dead elephant." Greenstreet, clearly, forgets that this is Joan Crawford he's dealing with. --David Kronke

The Joan Crawford Collection, Vol. 2 (A Woman's Face / Flamingo Road / Sadie McKee / Strange Cargo / Torch Song) DVD ~ Joan Crawford  (27)  $37.99

Farmer Takes a Wife (1953) VHS ~ Betty Grable  (4)

Perfect Furlough VHS ~ Tony Curtis  (1)

Easy Living (Universal Cinema Classics) DVD ~ Jean Arthur  (10)  $12.99

San Francisco DVD ~ Clark Gable  (45)  $17.99

› Explore similar items : Movies & TV (10) Video (4)

I own it Not rated Your rating Don't like it < > I love it! Save your rating    ? 1 2 3 4 5

14 Reviews 5 star:  (7) 4 star:  (7) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review (14 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   10 of 12 people found the following review helpful: Joan's Best, December 3, 2003 By  Review Lover "ReviewLover" (At a place...) - See all my reviews Joan Crawford is famous for over-the-top, scenery-chewing performances in acclaimed melodramas like 'Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?', and 'Queen Bee'. However bad her supporting cast (in particular, Queen Bee) one can always count on Ms. Crawford to turn in a convincing, if formulaic, performance. She was a character actor of the first magnitude, and while her on-screen personae rarely varied in tone, the performances in and of themselves are always good, if not excellent. Far less well-known are Joan's performances in movies that required serious acting capability - the most famous of these is her portrayal of Mildred Pierce, in the movie of the same name. In 'Flamingo Road', Joan turns out another one of her understated and more subdued performances as Lane Bellamy, the down-on-her-luck s