''Harriet Craig'' is a 1950 American drama film starring Joan Crawford. The screenplay by

Anne Froelick Anne Froelick Taylor (December 8, 1913 – January 26, 2010) was an American screenwriter from 1941 to 1950, and later a playwright and novelist. Her screenwriting career ended when she was identified as a communist by two witnesses at a hearin ...

and James Gunn was based upon the

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

-winning 1925 play ''

Craig's Wife ''Craig's Wife'' is a 1925 play written by American playwright George Kelly. It won the 1926 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and has been adapted for three feature films. Production ''Craig's Wife'' premiered on Broadway at the Morosco Theatre on ...

'', by George Kelly. The film was directed by Vincent Sherman, produced by William Dozier, and distributed by Columbia Pictures. ''Harriet Craig'' is the second of three cinematic collaborations between Sherman and Crawford, the others being '' The Damned Don't Cry'' (1950) and ''

Goodbye, My Fancy ''Goodbye, My Fancy'' is a 1948 play by Fay Kanin. A comedy in 3 Acts and 4 scenes, the work premiered at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario on October 21, 1948 for tryout performances before the production moved to Broadway in New York City. ...

'' (1951).

Plot

Harriet Craig (Crawford) is a neurotic, manipulative, and controlling perfectionist. She is obsessed with maintaining her ideal of perfection in the appearance of her home, her social life, and herself. She seems to believe that those around her exist only to fulfill her ideal life. Achieving this goal makes life miserable for everyone around her. Harriet shares her home with her loving husband Walter ( Wendell Corey), her orphaned and grateful cousin Clare (

K. T. Stevens K.T. Stevens (born Gloria Wood, July 20, 1919 – June 13, 1994) was an American film and television actress. Early years Stevens was born in Los Angeles, the daughter of film producer and director Sam Wood. She made her first film appearan ...

), and two maids—one of whom has worked at the house since Walter was a child. Harriet and Walter do not have any children as Harriet has told Walter that she is unable to conceive. Before marrying Walter and becoming the "lady" of his family's home, Harriet had a difficult life which included a philandering father. This caused her to be hateful and distrustful of men. Harriet is rude to the two maids and bullies the nervous one, eventually firing her and driving the other, the one who has been with Walter all his life, to quit. She keeps Walter's friends away from the home, including his best friend Billy Birkmire (

Allyn Joslyn Allyn Joslyn (July 21, 1901 – January 21, 1981) was an American stage, radio, television and film actor, known for his roles playing aristocratic wealthy snobs. Biography Allyn Joslyn was born in Milford, Pennsylvania, the son of a mining en ...

), and instead invites over stodgier, older couples whom she feels are more suited to her attitudes. When Clare falls in love with Walter's co-worker, Wes Miller ( William Bishop), Harriet puts an end to the romance with lies. When it appears Walter will receive a coveted work assignment that will require him to travel abroad without her, she sabotages the plans with a treacherous lie to his boss. Eventually, everyone learns the truth about Harriet. Clare overhears Harriet admitting to Walter that she lied to sabotage Clare's relationship. As a result, Clare packs and leaves, as she would rather survive alone in the world than live with manipulative Harriet. Walter deduces that it was Harriet who convinced his boss to cancel his work assignment. As a reaction to this, and to the realization of what his life with Harriet has become, he symbolically throws off her control; he drinks straight liquor, makes himself comfortable on the pristine sofa and, when she refuses to come downstairs to discuss their situation, he intentionally smashes Harriet's most beloved household possession—a priceless

Ming vase Chinese ceramics show a continuous development since pre-dynastic times and are one of the most significant forms of Chinese art and ceramics globally. The first pottery was made during the Palaeolithic era. Chinese ceramics range from construc ...

that symbolizes her control and obsession with perfection. When Harriet finally admits to Walter that she lied about the long-term maid, lied to his boss, and has lied to him throughout their marriage about her inability to have children, he walks out, leaving Harriet alone with her one true love and the only thing that she can truly control—the house. The supporting cast includes prolific character actress

Ellen Corby Ellen Hansen Corby (June 3, 1911 – April 14, 1999) was an American actress and screenwriter. She played the role of Esther "Grandma" Walton on the CBS television series ''The Waltons'', for which she won three Emmy Awards. She was also ...

as a bullied maid. Corby later became widely known as Esther "Grandma" Walton on the popular TV series '' The Waltons'' for seven seasons beginning in 1972.

Cast

* Joan Crawford as Harriet Craig * Wendell Corey as Walter Craig *

Lucile Watson Lucile Watson (May 27, 1879 – June 24, 1962) was a Canadian actress, long based in the United States. She was "famous for her roles of formidable dowagers." Early years Watson was born in Quebec and raised in Ottawa, the daughter of an off ...

as Celia Fenwick *

as Billy Birkmire * William Bishop as Wes Miller *

K.T. Stevens K.T. Stevens (born Gloria Wood, July 20, 1919 – June 13, 1994) was an American film and television actress. Early years Stevens was born in Los Angeles, the daughter of film producer and director Sam Wood. She made her first film appearan ...

as Clare Raymond * Viola Roache as Mrs. Harold * Raymond Greenleaf as Henry Fenwick *

as Lottie

Production notes

The film was based on the 1925 play ''

'' by George Kelly. Two previous film versions were both entitled ''Craig's Wife'', the first a 1928 silent film directed by

William C. DeMille William Churchill deMille (July 25, 1878 – March 5, 1955), also spelled de Mille or De Mille, was an American screenwriter and film director from the silent film era through the early 1930s. He was also a noted playwright prior to moving into ...

(Cecil B. DeMille's brother), and the second a 1936 film directed by Dorothy Arzner and starring Rosalind Russell.

Reception

'' Variety'' commented: "Joan Crawford does a prime job of putting over the selfish title-character."

Otis Guernsey Otis Guernsey (June 16, 1893 – March 4, 1975) was an American businessman and college football player who was the president of Abercrombie & Fitch and a fullback for the Yale Bulldogs football team. Early life Guernsey was born on June 16, 18 ...

of the ''

New York Herald Tribune The ''New York Herald Tribune'' was a newspaper published between 1924 and 1966. It was created in 1924 when Ogden Mills Reid of the ''New-York Tribune'' acquired the ''New York Herald''. It was regarded as a "writer's newspaper" and competed ...

'' wrote: " rawfordremains, as always, a stylish performer in her clear and forceful characterization."

Home media

The film has been released on VHS home video. As of November 2012, it was available on Region 1 DVD through the TCM Vault Collection and Region 2 DVD (

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, Europe, South Africa, and the Middle East, including Egypt).From Amazon.com. Retrieved on 2009-02-05 from https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EBUOKA.

References

External links

* * *
Review of ''Harriet Craig''
(1950) at TVGuide.com {{Vincent Sherman 1950 films 1950 drama films American drama films American black-and-white films Columbia Pictures films Films scored by George Duning American films based on plays Films directed by Vincent Sherman Films produced by William Dozier Film noir 1950s English-language films 1950s American films