Joan Crawford: Hollywood Martyr

by David Bret

Book Overview

In the first biography of Joan Crawford to give the full, uncensored story, bestselling author David Bret tells Crawford's rags to riches climb, from working in a Kansas City laundry to collecting an Oscar for her defining role in Mildred Pierce, and on to her devotion to Christian Science and reliance on vodka. He discusses the star's legendary relationship with Clark Gable, her countless love affairs, her marriages -- three of them to gay men --...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0306816245
• ISBN13: 9780306816246
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Excellent Biography about the Life of Joan Crawford

Outstanding biography on the life of Joan Crawford. The author introduces the reader to the world in which Joan was reared and acclimated into Hollwood's morally dysfunctional lifestyle. She still maintained her dignity and stood up for her rights in a world ran by the tyrannical movie corporation. She was also a mother to four children during this time as well. She juggled a career plus at times had to be a single parent. He also introduces and presents every movie she starred in or was in a supporting role. The inaccuracy that was noted about her background was her father's ancestry. He was not French Canadian he was French Huguenot descendant. His ancestors originally settled in Manakin Town Virginia in the early 1700s near Buckingham County Virginia and his family ended up in Tennessee where he was born. I am distantly related to the LeSueurs so if there is any Canadian connection it could have been when some of the ancestors briefly left to go to Canada and came back to the United States way before her father was born. I really have enjoyed reading the book so far and I must say the author did an excellent job. I would recommend the book to anyone who is a Joan Crawford fan.

English author pulls no punches

This author and book was recommended to me by a friend. The author pulls no punches and gives us all the sordid details, although his giving us the synopsis of all of Joan Crawford's films does get tiring, but her exploits to become a 'star' is all there.

Gossip?

I do agree that pages are filled with unnecessary and boring descriptions of each and every movie she made. And upon hearing others reviews that it is gossipy like the tabloid magazines of its day, I may have to agree. I am not bored with the book. I am on page 46 already and enjoy it. There is probably some truth in the gossip because there is so much of it - and also the gossip I enjoy is about the old hollywood and other characters she crossed paths with in the book. Lucille came a long way on her own - and I am reading the book as a whole knowing that fact is blended with gossip - but it does capture the essense of old hollywood and vileness such as LB Mayer who was an abortion that lived from everything I ever heard about him. I like the book.

The best ever!

I love this book. Goes in great detail about the Big Movie Star she really was. As far as I am concerned, no movie star will ever compare to her.

Mommie Queerest

I enjoyed this book very much but I wish he could have presented a more well rounded picture of Joan Crawford. It's shortsighted to just say Christina is a liar. Even when Joan was alive she was asked about beating the children and she never denied it!(Read Conversations With Joan Crawford by Roy Newquist page 142!!!) He says the twins were never treated as cruelly as Chris and Christina but the "twins" came to Joan at a time in her life when she was more settled so they saw a different side to her.(Mr Bret mentions an interview in the documentry Always A Star that one of the "twins" talks about Joan and it's clear even now she scared to death to say anything mean about Joan!) He also doesn't address Joan being an alcoholic which fueled many of her rages! It seems he wants to present a nice picture of Joan with out digging into the real person. He also doesn't deal well with Joan's relationship with Marilyn Monroe! He has Joan sleeping with everyone in Hollywood but when it comes to Marilyn he drops the ball! I think Joan's later cruel treatment of Marilyn stemmed from the fact that Marilyn rejected her! I think if Mr Bret took off his rose coloured glassses about Joan he could have given us a great book about Joan instead of just a good one!