Joan Crawford or Bette Davis?

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 2:28pm

Just got finished watching Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Great movie.

There will never be another rivalry like theirs. Who do you think was better? I'm a Bette fan all the way.

[romantico]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 2:32pm

Bette!One of my many favorite videos of her

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIkwjXY7Nvw

[Gothampc]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 2:34pm

Are you asking who was better in this movie or who was better in their entire career? In this particular movie, Bette had a lot more to work with than Joan did.

Posted: 11/22/10 at 2:43pm

Bette any way you slice it.

[AnthVoice2010]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 2:51pm

Joan was really the glamour girl who took a modest talent and worked like hell to better herself. She radiated star quality on screen at first but not much else. She put in the hours - grew with each film - learned by doing tons of radio shows. By 1937, she was pretty damn good. There are fine performances by her - as well as some pretty bad ones.

Bette Davis has pure natural talent but was hampered at the start by lack of the visceral impact and good looks on screen of a Crawford. She also worked like hell - to perfect how she looked and was lit. One could say that no one before or since has bettered the work Davis did in 1939 alone, including Davis. Also, All about Eve, is as good as later Davis got.

[AnthVoice2010]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 2:54pm

Essex and Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth

1939 The Old Maid
Charlotte Lovell

1939 Juarez
Empress Carlotta von Hapsburg

1939 Dark Victory
Judith Traherne



I mean, not even Meryl could have done all these in one year......and then followed them with about 6 other great films in 7 years...

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 2:55pm

They are like yin and yang.

Or like yang and yang.

[AnthVoice2010]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 2:57pm

True - Nothing in common other than the sheer drive to make it to the very top and stay there long after most women in the same town, fled.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 3:06pm

Bette all the way
I have been watching a lot of those great old campy melodrama movies recently (Baby Jane, Dead Ringer, Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte etc) because my company is producing the UK production of Charles Busch 'Die Mommie Die' (as you can tell from my pic) and of course it pays homage to (and parodies) that genre

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 4:03pm

Bette could sometimes be an instigator, though.

"Why am I so good at playing bitches? I think it's because I'm not a bitch. Maybe that's why Miss Crawford always plays ladies."

[nmartin]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 7:37pm

For anyone who wants to know about Bette and Joan. Read Bette and Joan: The Divine Feud. Fun. Fun. Fun.

[After Eight]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 8:35pm

I can't choose. They're both inimitable, and sorely missed!

[fflagg]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 8:45pm

It's a shame that Bette's film career tanked in the 1950s. I wonder why Hepburn flourished in the 50s while most of Bette's films failed. Hepburn was nommed many times in the 50s for perfs that did not merit it or for which she was miscast like in THE RAINMAKER, SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER. What a shame she never did a film with Bette.

Joan was a star; Bette was a great actress and a star. Shame she never did VIRGINIA WOOLF with Henry Fonda like she wanted.

[sally1112]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 8:58pm

What a great thread. It's making want to go rent a bunch of movies I haven't seen in awhile.
Ok, I love both these ladies, but it is Bette all the way for me.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 11/23/10 at 11:23am

it did tank in the 50s but she had one of her biggest hits with Baby Jane and Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte not long after

[fflagg]

Posted: 11/23/10 at 4:29pm

But she deserved better, don't you think? She did BABY JANE and Hepburn did LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT.

One thing she did that Hepburn did not do was wed and raise a family.

Did you know Davis was almost cast as Mme. Armfeldt in the film of "Night Music"?

[Mrs Mangel]

Posted: 11/24/10 at 2:07pm

Both!

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 11/25/10 at 11:52am

Bette wishes you all a very happy Thanksgiving!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/25/10 at 12:44pm

Apples & oranges

I give the edge to Joan as back in 1974 when I was involved in trying to save a local movie palace we got a letter from Joan Crawford supporting us. I still have a copy of it. Hers was the only celebrity whose signature was precise and readable and totally ledgible.

I believe Bette was a better actress and had more memorable roles.

[Q]

Posted: 11/25/10 at 12:46pm

We saw a vocal impersonator (who was very good!) who said this, a la Bette, "We worked together in WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE. I played Baby Jane, she played whatever."

Bette, better best - always.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/25/10 at 12:54pm

I remember a long time ago Steve Allen had a late night show and He did a skit "Whatever Happened To Baby Fink". He played Crawford. No idea who played Bette.